


Fear of Falling Apart

by BookWyrm07



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hospital, Angst, Bullying, Depression, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Manipulation, F/F, Fluff, Happy Ending, Human, I.E.D., Implied/Referenced Underage Drinking, M/M, Multi, Nobody Dies, Past Liam Dunbar/Hayden Romero, Vengeful Hayden, Verbal Abuse, light homophobia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-13
Updated: 2019-06-01
Packaged: 2019-10-09 03:18:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 28,863
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17399021
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BookWyrm07/pseuds/BookWyrm07
Summary: Theo is used to dealing with Tara's illness. He's been doing it all his life, but hopefully with one last bone marrow transplant she'll be cured. Then maybe, just maybe, he can have some kind of life that doesn't completely revolve around hospitals and doing every possible thing to avoid germs that could be passed to his sister. He could go to real school, make friends with people his own age, maybe, even meet a boy.OrHospital AU where Tara has cancer, Theo is her bone marrow donor and Liam is doing court ordered community service.





	1. Delinquent Candy Striper

**Author's Note:**

> Title comes from the song This is Gospel by Panic! At The Disco.
> 
> I plan to have an update about every 2 weeks. That is my goal, please don't hate me if I don't meet it.

Dr. Geyer pressed the button for the sixth floor then anxiously tapped the door close button. He completely ignored the whiney shouts of “Dad!” repeatedly coming from down the hall. Despite his efforts a short blond haired blue eyed teen slipped in before the door closed. “I can't wear this!” He helped up the pink and white striped apron. 

“You can. You will. Maybe next time you start to lose your temper you will think of this and remember to do some of the exercises your therapist has been teaching you.” He put the apron over his son's head and straightened the clip on volunteer's badge. “You will also be thankful that the judge accepted the plea for probation, therapy and community service.”

He lowered his eyes. Shame colored his face. “Yes, sir.”

Dr. Geyer put a hand on the boy’s shoulder. “You know, I'm very proud of you. You’ve worked hard, made progress, and never once tried to blame others for your actions. You're a good kid, Liam.” The teen gave him a small smile and mumbled his thanks. 

\---

Theo woke up groggy. The metallic taste of anesthesia in the back of his throat. His hips hurt. Slowly he tested his ability to move, and how much pain each movement caused. Better than he expected. Maybe, with a little help and luck he could keep that promise. 

There was a quiet knock at the door. A boy poked his head in. “Hi, I'm just visiting people at random.”

He was adorable, all blue eyes and shy smile. Theo burst out laughing. It turned into a dry cough. The boy rushed to fill a cup with water from the picture on the rolling bed table. Water sloshed onto the bed, and the teen started to panic. “It's okay,” he rasped taking the cup. Once his throat was wet he continued, “who did you piss off?” He pointed at the apron.

The cute boy flushed with anger or embarrassment, Theo couldn't tell. “My dad said it was hospital policy. He's a doctor here so he should know.” 

“Well, I've seen many volunteers here.” He flicked the visitor badge. “You're the first candy cane.” Theo looked around the room. “Will you help me with something, candy cane?”

The cute boy straightened up. “Liam, not candy cane, and Yeah, that's what this whole community service thing is about, right?”

Theo gave him an appraising look. “Liam,” Theo said to test it out. He nodded. “I'm Theo. Hand me that backpack over there.” He pointed then turned his attention to the IV in his arm. 

Liam brought the bag to Theo’s bed. “Uh, should you be taking that off?”

“It's just saline.” He pulled out a pair of jeans and slipped then on under his hospital gown. The gown came off next and Liam couldn't help but stare. He did not look sick. He was buff, buffer than Liam and Liam spent a lot of time in the gym and playing lacrosse. Theo caught him staring, and smirked. 

“What are you doing?” a nurse asked. She wore maroon scrubs, her dark hair pulled back in a half ponytail. 

Theo gave her a charming smile and pulled his t-shirt over his head. “I'll drink a Gatorade, Melissa. I have a promise to keep, please.” 

She frowned, then shook her head. To Liam she said, “I told your dad we were all in trouble if the two of you ever met.” To Theo she said, “I saw nothing. As far as I know you are in bed. Take your meds and drink at least two Gatorades.” 

Theo pulled a large sports drink from the backpack, and used it to swallow the pills she gave him. “You're the best! Seriously, you're my favorite nurse ever.”

“Yeah, yeah. Just go slow, and don't fall.” With a last shake of her head Melissa left.

He moved a little stiffly putting on his shoes and slinging the backpack over his shoulder. “Look in the hall. Do you see a woman in her forties, grey suit, looks like she's been constipated for a week.” 

Liam had his head out the doorway. “No one like that,” he said. 

The two boys went slow. Theo making stiff, careful steps. He kept a hand on the wall for support. Each corner he made Liam look for the constipated woman. Liam paused at one corner, “now when you say constipated, you mean angry, and kind of scrunchy faced, right?’

Theo rolled his eyes, but before he could say anything he saw the lady Liam had described coming down the hall. He hid behind Liam, and slipped into a bathroom. “You're a terrible look out! What the hell kind of delinquent are you?”

“I'm not a delinquent!” Liam's face turned red.

When the woman got in the elevator Theo started walking again, still slow, but no longer trying to be stealthy. “You said community service, earlier. People who volunteer at hospitals for altruistic reasons or on the job training call it volunteering. It's only called community service when ordered by a judge.”

Liam started to argue, but froze, “okay, you got me there, but it was a one time mistake, I'm not, like a bank robber or anything.”

“I doubt they give bank robbers community service, but they might make them wear that apron.” He stopped at a room with a clean cart. The sign on the door said gown, gloves, and masks were required to enter. Theo hit Liam in the chest with a paper yellow robe. “You get to go from candy cane to banana.” 

Once they were suited up they entered the room to see a girl in her late teens sleeping. She was pale and thin. Her eyes were sunken. Theo gaver her hand a gentle squeeze. “I helped you sneak out to visit your girlfriend,” Liam sounded annoyed. “Why aren't you wearing a mask?”

“She's not my girlfriend. She's my sister,” Theo said as he pulled up a chair. “I'm not wearing a mask, because she already has all my germs.” He pulled a handful of bright colored permanent markers. After selecting a blue he made a curved line down the side of her head.

“You can't do that!” Liam nearly yelled. “She can't consent if she's sleeping!”

Theo gave him a sad look. “Her last remission lasted almost a year. She grew her hair down to her shoulders. Last night I promised her I would draw her something pretty to make up for losing it.” His smirk was back, “She asked me to draw on her head, but mom, the constipated woman, said no. Tell me if someone is coming.”

Theo had to keep moving, and gently turning her head to get all the skin covered. He had just started the last part when the door opened. 

Dr. Geyer looked around the room. With a heavy sigh he mumbled something about Melissa warning him. “What are the two of you doing?”

Theo spoke first without looking up, “I'm keeping a promise. The delinquent candy striper over there is failing at being a lookout.”

Liam groaned. “Delinquent candy striper,” the doctor repeated with a chuckle. “Your mom is going to love that one, Liam.” 

The boy made a small whimper. “I'm never going to live this down am I?”

“Nope. I'm still surprised how easily I won the bet about getting you to wear that apron.” The two boys looked at him, Theo amused, Liam shocked. “Are those blue and purple lilies?”

“Yeah, her favorite flower in her favorite colors. The dog thing is supposed to be a coyote, her favorite animal, but I couldn't get the snout quite right.” Theo smiled as he critiqued his work.

The door opened again. “Theo!” a stern woman scolded, “what are you thinking? Where is your mask, and don't even think of rolling your eyes at me.”

Theo closed his eyes to keep from rolling them. “She got my bone marrow an hour ago, pretty sure she's already got my germs.”

“And you haven't talked to, or been around anyone since then? You've been in a completely sterile environment?” She held out a mask for him. As he reached out to take it she saw the markers. “I specifically told you not to draw on Tara. You don't know where the markers have been or if chemicals in the ink could affect her in some adverse way. How could you be so careless with her? She's not strong like you.”

“Sorry to interrupt,” Dr. Geyer wiggled an eyebrow at Theo, “the markers won't harm her at all, medically speaking. We have a local tattoo artist that comes in sometimes and draws on some of the kids. He usually goes for an arm. I don't think he's ever drawn on someone's head, though he did do a very cool dragon on a six year old boy's chest one time.” He shrugged. “And speaking of disobedient teenagers, Mrs. Raeken, this is my son Liam. He's volunteering on the floor today.”

Mrs. Raeken took Liam's offered her a hand, and they exchanged a polite greeting. 

Theo stood stiffly and kissed his mom's cheek, then put on his mask. “I'm sorry. I just didn't want a repeat of last week's freak out, and I talked to Melissa about it earlier. She told me the markers were safe. These are also new so Tara's skin is the only thing they've touched.” 

“I'm still mad you didn't talk to me first.” She sighed. “Go, get out of here. I'll think of a punishment for you later.”

“Liam, help him back to his room, don't spend all day just visiting him. There are lots of kids on the floor, some haven't had a visitor in a week or more,” David ordered. “Theo, get back in bed. Given this excursion, I want you to get a nap before you're discharged this evening.”

“Yes, sir.” Theo gave a mock salute, and the boys were gone. 

\---

The two boys started slowly back to Theo's room. Silence stretched between them. Liam kept opening his mouth to say something, but no sound would come out. What was he supposed to say? This guy was too hot. Liam was afraid to look at him, but he really should say something. Compliments are always good. Think of a nice compliment. “I like your coyote.” Why that? What the hell kind of complement is that? “I mean, the one you drew on your sister's head. It did look like a coyote. I mean, you're a pretty good artist.” Theo was smiling at him now. The super hot guy is laughing at me, he's just too polite to do it out loud.

“Thanks,” Theo said, smiling with confidence he didn't feel. His heart raced. This adorable guy is flirting with me. Oh my God! He's flirting, badly, but still flirting. “How many hours of community service do you have to do?”

Great, he thinks I'm just a trouble maker. “Five hundred.” Liam bit his lip.

“Will they all be at the hospital? Tara is going to be here at least the next six weeks, and I'll be spending a lot of time here. Maybe the next time you are given visitor duty we could hang out.” He smiled again. 

“I'd like that. Maybe we could even hang out sometime when I'm not, you know, serving the community.”

Theo pulled his phone from his backpack. Handing it to Liam he said, “put your number in. I'll text you so you have mine.” Theo sat on the bed and kicked off his shoes. Taking the phone back he looked at his new contact. “Dunbar? Not Geyer?”

Liam blushed, “the sperm donor's name. He was supposed to sign some papers so I could change it when my mom and dad got married, but he didn't so I had to keep it.”

They heard Melissa call from the hall at the same time Liam's chimed a text. “I'd better go, but I'll text you later.” He looked at his phone and blushed a little. The message was just Theo's name with a winking kiss emoji. “Thanks.” 

\---

Theo came out of the bathroom, his hair still damp. “Thanks for packing some of my pajamas in your bag,” he said through the mask.

Tara smiled, and her whole face lit up. “I hate spending the first night alone. Thanks for staying.” She slid over giving Theo room. They settled in on their sides facing each other. “We're getting to big for hospital sleep overs.”

“I could always sleep in the chair,” he offered.

“Don't you dare!” She pulled the blanket up over them. “Thanks for the drawings. How bad did Mom take it?”

“Not too bad, thanks to Dr. Geyer. She took my phone. Unfortunately, she took it when I was texting this cute boy.” At Tara's insistence he told her everything he'd learned about Liam.


	2. Eleven

Liam read over the text conversation for the seven hundredth time. It was all normal get to know you stuff. What school do you go to? What grade are you in? Who's your favorite band? Liam had answered that question then nothing. No more replies. He'd sent three more texts after that, but nothing came back.

“Maybe he hates Linkin Park. Are they too old? They are really old. Maybe he thinks I'm too emo because I like them. Maybe he hates them so much that he hates me for liking them,” Liam said, hoping one of his friends would reassure him.

Stiles rolled down the window of his jeep. “Maybe you should give me your phone,” he said reaching into the back seat.

Liam gave the older boy his phone. Stiles held it poised to toss it out the window when Scott took it from his hand. “Liam, never give my brother your phone, especially if he is annoyed with you.” He turned in the passenger seat. “Look, there are only two possibilities for him not responding by now. Either he can't, and there is nothing you can do but wait, or he doesn't want to, and if that's the case he's not worth getting upset over.”

Isaac reached across the back seat and pat Liam on the shoulder. “So how hot is this guy, like scale of one to ten?” He noticed his boyfriend giving him a questioning look. “Scott being a ten, of course.”

Liam threw his head back thinking of the broad, smooth expanse of Theo's chest, that cocky smirk that showed off his dimple and his bright green eyes. “Eleven.”

\---

Theo watched the vampire open his vein. Okay his proper job title was phlebotomist, but that was a bit of a mouth full, and the guy had a Lost Boys pin and a Dracula lanyard. “Most people look away when the needle goes in,” the technician commented.

“Most people haven't given blood as much as I have,” he said, voice resigned. The guy nodded and turned to his desk, tapping at his keyboard. 

The teen turned his attention to his laptop, and the assignment he'd been failing to write all day. This was stupid. It wasn't even due for another week, but mom made it a condition to getting ungrounded. Ideas still eluded him when he heard a voice he recognized asking about the lab's supply of latex gloves. “Liam?” he asked hopefully.

The blond boy looked up in surprise. He wasn't wearing the apron this time, but still had the volunteer badge clipped to his shirt. “Theo,” he sounded uncertain, but came fully into the room.

“I didn't mean to ghost you.” Theo gave an apologetic smile. “My mom waited until I was texting you to take my phone. Grounded for drawing on Tara. I don't get it back until I finish this impossible assignment for school.”

Liam gave Theo a bright smile. “I was afraid you just really hated Linkin Park,” he said. Both boys laughed. “What's the assignment? It can't really be impossible.”

“It's a joint assignment for literature and world history. My two most hated classes,” Theo explained rolling his eyes.

“Literature and history? You hate storytime,” Liam accused, smiling.

“I do not,” Theo said defensively. “I just hate over analyzing everything I read, and if history really was just true stories it would be okay, but no I have to memorize dates and all that crap.”

“I happen to great in history. It's my best subject, maybe I can help,” Liam offered.

“I'm a grade ahead of you, and both are AP classes,” Theo pointed out.

“I’m really good with history. Try me,” Liam challenged, his arms crossed and shoulders set.

“Okay,” Theo said. “Ever read Romance of the Three Kingdoms? My assignment is to explain the differences between a real event and the dramatisation in the book.”

“Easy. The Battle of Chi Bi, Red Cliffs in English. 208 AD the battle was all about gaining a strategic military position on the Yangtze River, the book made it all about Cao Cao being a perv and wanting to kidnap the Two Qiaos, Sun Se's wives.” His eyes brightened as he kept talking. He explained the Battle and the strategy behind the fire attack used by the defenders in a way that not only made sense, but was interesting. “Also Zhuge Liang wasn't a wizard. He was a meteorologist… I'm babbling and now you think I'm a total dork.” His face turned a crimson.

Theo had been taking notes, as well as he could, one handed. “Not at all, well maybe a little babbling, but now I have a topic and outline for my report.” He smiled at the younger boy. “It was more cute than dorky, adorkable, maybe.” Liam blushed even more. “Give me an hour or so to write it up and recover from blood loss, and maybe I could keep you company.”

Liam jumped up, “I had better to get back to work.” He was halfway to the door when he turned back, “I'm supposed to read to some of the kids at three. I would love your help with that,” he smiled a challenge, “unless you really do hate storytime.”

\---

At two forty Liam made his way to the nurses’ station. Theo stood there already, a large shopping bag in hand. He and Melissa seemed to be enjoying their conversation.

“You made it,” Liam said smiling. “What's in the bag?”

“The kids have heard all the books here a thousand times, so I got something special.” Theo grinned holding up the bag. “I'll read, you do the puppets.”

“Puppets?” Liam asked uncertainty on his face. “Why can't I do the reading?”

“Because they didn't have a wolf puppet.” Theo said that like it was supposed to make sense, and pulled Liam to some chairs. He sat next to the confused boy. “They wash off skin easy,” he assured holding up a paint pen. “Can I turn you into the big bad wolf?”

Liam nodded still trying figure out what the hell was going on. Theo took pity in him and explained, “you issued the storytime challenge. I just took it to eleven.” 

“Shouldn't you be using makeup?” Liam asked nervously.

“I've never used it before. I wouldn't even know how to start. Besides, make up needs special soap stuff. Acrylic paint comes off with regular soap and water… from skin anyway. Stop fidgeting or this won't look right.”

“I'm trying. It's cold, and it tickles,” Liam pouted.

“Aww, you look like a sad puppy,” Theo teased. Blushing Liam sat still until Theo stuck a headband with ears on him. “You make a pretty cute little wolf,” the older boy said when he had finished.

Liam checked himself with his selfie camera. His entire face was colored to look like a brown and white wolf. The bottom part of his nose was was black the rest of his nose and the area around it was white and gave the impression of depth making it look like a snout, his eyes were outlined and shaped in brown, last there was white and brown streaks like fur going into his hairline. “You sure this washes off?” he asked again.

Theo rolled his eyes, “yes, now let's go.” He pulled a book of fairy tales from the bag and gave the bag to Liam. 

\---

A dozen children, many with IV lines connected gathered in the play/waiting area just inside the long term pediatric unit. Theo sat on a small couch facing the kids while Liam knelt behind it. The younger boy had made sure to stay out of sight when the nurses and parents were helping get the kids settled. 

Theo opened the book, holding it up to the side so the kids could see pictures while he read. “Once upon a time there was a little girl who wore a red hooded cape everywhere she went.” The children giggled as Liam raised the Little Red Riding Hood puppet over the back of the couch. Liam acted out the story as Theo read. When Little Red met the wolf on the path to Grandma's house Liam popped up and the all the children, and some of the parents showed surprise. Each time Theo read a line of dialogue Liam would repeat it in a silly voice, high pitched and squeaky for Red, gruff and growly for the wolf, soft and shaky for Grandma and deep and booming for the wood cutter.

When Theo got to the part of the story where the wolf eats first Grandma then Red Liam stuffed the puppets into the front of his hoodie while making loud chomping noises. The highlight of the show, however was the wood cutter killed the wolf Liam fell sideways across the back of the couch his tongue hanging out the side of his mouth while the puppet cut him open (unzipped the hoodie) and saved the poor victims by dumping them to the seat of the couch. The children, parents and staff gave the boys a round of applause. 

When the book was finished a boy, thin and pale asked Liam who painted his face. His answer resulted in Theo being swarmed with requests to be next, and could he make them into kitties, too? With the approval of the parents and Dr. Geyer a line was set up and Theo got to work. Five wolves, three kitties, one mouse and two flowers drawn onto cheeks later the boys finally got out of there. 

“That was more fun than I expected,” Liam said smiling.

“I bet they are saying the same thing.” Theo smiled. “What do they have you doing next?”

“Turning in this badge and waiting for my dad to get done. That’ll be an hour or so.”

“Good my sister wants to meet you.” 

They stopped in a bathroom after turning in the badge so Liam could wash his face. Tara wouldn't be able to see it with a mask on anyway. The younger boy paused at the sink. “It feels kind of wrong to just wash this off, like destroying your art, or something.” Liam hesitated. 

Theo shrugged. “It really isn't that big of a deal. I draw because it's something I always have access to do, even when I'm stuck here for days or weeks at a time.” He shot Liam a smirk. “I think your dad recorded the full story, so you can always watch it later.” 

Liam bit his lip. He took Theo's hand. “Take a selfie with me?” he said it like a question, full of uncertainty. Theo leaned next to the other boy, and gave a small smirk. He could smell Liam's hair gel. They were so close Theo thought how easy it would be to just lean forward and press their lips together. 

Picture taken, Liam took a small step back. He put a hand under the warm water, and quickly washed his face. He could have made a move. Why hadn't he? They were flirting like crazy. Just ask if you can kiss him, dumbass.

Theo handed him a handful of paper towels. “We should take another one, now that we can see your face,” Theo suggested. Liam nodded. When they were leaned in close Liam snapped another selfie. Before they parted Theo whispered, “can I kiss you?” Liam turned the other boy with a surprised smiled. He nodded. Their lips met, soft, gentle, and all too soon they parted. “I still don't have my phone back. Can you send those to me?”

“Yeah. Are you doing anything tomorrow night?” Liam asked, chewing his lip again. 

Theo sighed as they left the bathroom. “With Tara just having her transplant my choices are to be home alone or here. I'm not allowed to go anywhere people gather. Germ exposure. Mom doesn't even want me in the same wing as the ER, or in cafeteria. I have to bring food from home or order something to be brought up with Tara's food. I'm only allowed here because she also wants me on hand in case Tara needs a transfusion.”

“That sucks, but I could bring you dinner,” Liam offered with way more hope in his voice than he had intended, “I mean of you want to eat with me.”

“It's a date.” Theo took hold of Liam's hand. Their fingers intertwining.

\---

Freshly washed and covered in paper gowns with gloves and masks the boys entered Tara's room. Melissa and Tara traded a knowing look, and Tara stifled a giggle when they saw their joined hands. Liam was too busy watching the IV line. Crimson fluid flowed from the bag into the thin pale arm. The nurse keeping a close eye on her patient.

“I didn't think we had to worry about a transfusion reaction if she was getting my blood?” Theo said it as a question.

“It's highly unlikely with how closely you two match, but it is possible,” Melissa answered, her eyes kind, “and a reaction can be fatal so we don't take chances.”

“Is that the blood they took from you this morning?” Liam asked.

“I doubt it. They should still have a few pints held back from before the transplant,” Theo said taking a seat by his sister's bed. 

A few minutes later the transfusion was complete, and Melissa left the teens to visit. There was a small bit of awkwardness at first when Liam knocked over Tara's cup of ice chips. Theo broke the tension by telling Tara all about their story time show. She awed over their selfie, then the three fell into easy conversation about video games, music and an intense argument about CW's Arrowverse.

“Arrow has the better story lines,” Theo maintained.

“No, Arrow drags out every bad guy until even mentioning the freaking name Ra's Al Ghul makes my eyes involuntarily roll into the back of my head,” Liam argued.

“Thank you!” Tara offered the younger boy a high five. “Granted I think I'm the only person on the planet to love Legends, but having they have a bad ass bi chick in charge. How could I not love it?”

“You're both nuts. Flash is the best. Not only is Barry adorable, but the show formula works so much better. Monster of the week plus season long bad guy keeps the show fresh,” Liam said laughing.

The good natured argument continued until Liam's alarm chirped reminding him it was time to meet his dad. The boys hugged as Liam headed for the door. “I would kiss you, but not in front of my sister,” Theo whispered.

“I'll see you tomorrow at six?” the younger boy asked.

“Sounds good. Text me when you get here,” Theo answered.

When the door closed behind Liam, Tara sat up straight. “You have a date!” she accused, and demanded details.


	3. Dramaburgers

“I just don't think right now is the best time for you to start dating,” Theo's mom said without looking up from her laptop.

“It's hardly even a date. He's just bringing me dinner at the hospital. I don't see how it's a big deal.” Theo walked got a glass from the cupboard and poured himself some orange juice.

“Theo's got a date?” His dad came in the kitchen placing a briefcase on the counter and getting his own breakfast. “That's great, son! Who's the lucky guy?”

“His name's Liam. He's Dr. Geyer's son,” Theo said.

“Do you really think now, right after Tara's transplant, is a good time for Theo to be dating?” She shot her husband a dirty look.

“What's the problem? Tara was fifteen when she started dating that Greenberg boy, still glad that one didn't last. Theo is sixteen. That's the same age Tara was when she met Erica and Vernon.” The older man winked at his son when his wife wasn't looking.

“He prefers to be called Boyd, Dad,” Theo said.

“The problem, Jonathan,” she said closing her laptop, “is that they understood how dangerous it would be for Tara to get sick. They were all in the same position. She met Erica and Boyd at chemo.” Her eyes focused on her son. “You are the only reason she has a chance at all, Theo. It's your responsibility to stay healthy so she can be, too. What happens to her if you get sick?”

“This boy's dad is Tara's doctor. Is he the volunteer boy you and Tara were talking about?” He kept going when Theo nodded. “Then he understands, too. Let the boys have dinner, Nancy. It will be good for Theo to get out and socialize in person. Online is great, but in person contact is needed, too.”

“Fine,” she conceded, “but no greasy processed fast food. Vegetables, maybe a salad. Organic if possible.”

“You got it, Mom. I'll text him now.” Theo held up his phone.

Jonathan kissed his wife on the cheek. “That's fair. My flight leaves in two hours, so have to go. I'll see you two in a couple of weeks. Please try to get along,” He implored them both, then took his briefcase and bagel and was out the door.

Theo: what's for dinner tonight?  
Liam: hadn't decided yet. Want anything special?  
Theo: I'd kill for a greasy cheeseburger  
Liam: cheeseburgers it is. No murder necessary. 

“He said we're having pasta from that vegan cafe near the hospital,” Theo lied easily.

\---

The boys met up in the hallway near the main entrance. It was empty this time of the evening. Liam quickly led Theo down the hall around several turns. “I know the perfect place for us to sit down and eat,” the younger boy said excitedly. They entered the elevator, Liam pressing the button for the third floor.

Theo tried not to lick his lips at the delicious odor coming from the bag in Liam's hand. He glanced at the logo on the back of, but it wasn't one he recognized. “Do I smell bacon?” He asked, trying not to sound too hopeful.

“Yeah, I didn't know exactly what you like so I just got the basic greasy delicious bacon cheeseburger.”

“Real bacon? Thick cut, cured with salt, dead pig, bacon?” 

“What other kind of bacon is there?” Liam's eyes grew wide.

“Uncured organic turkey bacon,” Theo answered rolling his eyes. 

“That isn't bacon.”

“Yeah. It gets worse than that.” Liam looked truly terrified at Theo's words. “Last time my mom let us have burgers, on my birthday, she put that fraud bacon on tofu veggie burgers with fat free mozzarella cheese on gluten free buns.”

“That is the saddest birthday dinner of all time.” He held up the bag. “These will make up for it. They're the best. Not just the burgers, either, the onion rings are perfect.” Liam lead him through the hospital talking about how crispy they were and how the onion and breading never separated after the first bite. They came to a door next to the chapel. “The garden out here is always empty and has a table, also no patient room look out into it.”

Liam talked happily as he unpacked the food, setting the drinks down first. The smell was getting even better, Theo's stomach began to rumble. After he set out two burgers and two containers of fries he looked back in the bag, silent. His eyes narrowed. The boy yelled wordlessly as he threw the now crumpled bag and kicked over one of the metal chairs from the table. 

Theo froze watched Liam closely. The younger boy closed his eyes and forced himself to take several deep breaths. Theo could just barely hear him muttering to himself, but couldn't identify any of the words. When he opened his eyes he kept them looking at their feet. “Sorry,” he mumbled.

“That’s quite a temper. I'm impressed you were able to calm down so fast,” Theo gave a small smile, “and I know not to steal your onion rings.” He sat down and ate a french fry. When Liam didn't move Theo added, “cold fries suck, and I'm betting the burgers are better warm. We should eat.” 

“You still want to eat with me?” his voice is was thick with guilt and shame.

“Kick the guilt ferrets. You didn't hurt me, or break anything. I don't show it like you, but I promise I get just as mad.” He took a bite of his burger. He chewed slowly, closing his eyes to savor the taste. “On my god! This is good.”

“Guilt ferrets?”

Theo laughed. “Term I stole from Kevin Hearne for when guilt gnaws at the back of your neck like a rabid ferret.” Liam nodded but didn't say anything. He did however sit and start on his own burger. The boys ate without talking.

“It's not just a temper,” Liam said when they were done. 

“You don't have to tell me. I'm happy to listen if you want to, though.”

“Ever heard of Intermittent Explosive Disorder?” Liam asked. He kept going when Theo shook his head. “It's a mood disorder kind of like bipolar, but with sudden and excessive bursts of anger.”

“Then it's brain chemistry, and you don't have anything to feel guilty about. Take your meds, do your therapy, and work on what you can, but don't beat yourself up for not being perfect,” Theo said with a shrug. “I know it isn't that easy. Guilt ferrets are impervious to logic.”

“You wouldn't be saying that if you saw what I did to my old coach's car.” Liam kept his eyes on the ground, chewing on his lip.

“That's what got you kicked from your old school and on community service? Smashing up a car?” Liam nodded. “Have you ever hurt anyone? Not like a bloody nose, but like seriously hurt someone? Hospital hurt?”

He shook his head again. “No, but I could. My father, the sperm donor, he hit my mom.”

“You're not him, and as long as you are working to get better and control what you can I don't think you would ever hurt me, so I'm not worried.” Theo reached a hand over, lightly touching Liam's hand. 

Liam watched as Theo took hold of his hand. “What makes you angry, other than the obvious?”

“The obvious being Tara's cancer?” he asked. Liam nodded, and Theo laughed, a bitter sound. “I’m not angry about that. I wouldn't even exist if Tara hadn't gotten sick. My mom is the complete and total, all encompassing source of my anger.”

“What do you mean you wouldn't exist?”

“Tara got sick and the doctors said she needed a stem cell or bone marrow transplant. They also that siblings are the best chance for a match. My parents went through IVF three months later they knew I was a perfect match for blood, tissue and marrow before mom was pregnant.” Liam looked up at Theo while he spoke. “It's not so bad with Dad and Tara. They're cool most of the time, but mom...” Theo shook his head, “she alright most of the time when Tara is in remission.”

“But when Tara is sick, she makes your life hell?” Liam rubbed his thumb over the back of Theo's hand.

“My aunt took a video when I was born. They induced labor early, because they weren't sure Tara would make it much longer. So the doctor is holding me, and my dad is about to cut the cord and you can hear my mom yelling that they have to save the cord blood for Tara. It's like twenty minutes later when she finally holds me. She looks right in my face and tells me that my big sister is sick, but it's okay, because I'm going to make her all better. As far as Mom is concerned that's all I'm here to do.”

“How do you keep from yelling at her?”

“It wouldn't do any good. All it would do is get me another guilt trip lecture.” Theo squeezed Liam's hand. “Okay. Enough heavy shit. You said coach before, what sport?”

Liam lit back up talking about lacrosse, how he had just made the team at his new school, and the new friends he had made through the team. The new friends had even welcomed his best friend, Mason, who changed schools with him at the semester. Theo was full of questions. He was surprised to learn two of the friends/teammates were his favorite nurse's kids.

They were still talking when Theo's phone buzzed.

Mom: Are you still with that boy?  
Theo: his name is Liam, yes  
Mom: how was the pasta? What did you have?  
Theo: Pesto and mushroom penne (thumbs up)

“By the way, we had vegan pasta from that cafe across the street if anyone, especially my mom asks. She's about to tell me to say good night and head home.”

Liam sighed. “I’ve enjoyed tonight. Would you be interested in another date?”

Theo gave that cocky smirk. “That depends, will I be getting a good night kiss?” Liam blushed, and nodded. 

They both leaned in gently touching their lips. After a couple of seconds Theo deepened the kiss. Liam opened, giving him access. He sighed into the kiss as Theo's tongue massaged against his. Their kiss only broke when the phone buzzed again. “I have to go,” Theo said, “I'll text you.” Liam nodded. They walked to the elevator holding hands.


	4. Traps

Liam smiled at his phone as he texting a reply. He leaned against a row of lockers waiting for his best friend, Mason, to finish getting his books. Corey, Mason's boyfriend, leaned into over to see his screen, “who ya texting?” 

“Probably his super hot new boyfriend,” Mason said still looking for something. “You did return my chem notes, right, Corey?”

“No, they’re right here.” The taller boy held up his notebook. “Why haven't I met this super hot new boyfriend? What's his name?”

“Theo, and he doesn't go to this school,” Liam said.

“Your old school?” Corey asked.

“No, he-” Liam was interrupted by a scornful laugh.

“Let me guess,” the girl said, “he lives in Canada, and while you've never met in person you have deep and meaningful conversations through texts.” Her condescending smile made her pretty face look almost repulsive.

“Actually, Hayden, he lives here in Beacon Hills, but does online school so he can spend time with his sister. She has cancer.” He turned his phone showing a selfie they had taken together the night before. “We met at the hospital.”

“Wow, he's almost as short as you are. My boyfriend is six two, and he does go to your old school.” She flipped her hair over his shoulder, and walked away.

“So, it seems she still hates you,” Mason said. He closed his locker. “Remind me what you ever saw in her.”

Liam shrugged. “I don't know. It was before the medication. I plead insanity.”

Corey took the phone to check out the picture. “Damn, this guy is hot.”

“Yeah, if you like, muscular guys, with a chiseled jaw, dimples, great hair and sparkling green eyes,” Mason said checking out the boy in the picture. “Okay, yeah, he's really hot.”

“Personality I prefer, dark skinned nerdy guys with earrings, kissable lips and big brown eyes,” Corey said smiling at his boyfriend. Mason smiled back and they shared a quick kiss. 

“Aaaww,” Liam mocked, and took his phone back. He walked down the hall a few feet to his own locker. “I just need to put my history book away.” As the locker opened there was a loud pop. Fine powdery glitter hit him in the face, and chest. Every move he made sent the silver and pink dust deeper into his clothes and on the floor.

“Oh my God…” Mason said.

Liam ripped the depleted glitter bomb from his locker and threw it harder than necessary into the trash. 

Stiles paused surveying the fallout. He shook his head and said, “find another ride home from practice. You're not getting in my Jeep until the toxic waste is contained.” The older boy was careful not to touch Liam as he walked away.

Liam looked around Hayden leaned against the lockers about twenty feet away. She gave a triumphant smile and blew him a kiss.

\---

Tara watched Theo from behind the single card left in her hand. He had is pleasant smile, most people saw it as charming, but Tara knew what that smile meant. He was hiding something, the devious little prick. He selected a card from his hand, and his smile changed to that damned smirk. “Uno,” he said, as he played the card, “and draw four.”

“You evil, slimy, fucking, son if a bitch!” Tara drew her cards played one, and Theo played his last one, winning the game.

“Not sure mom would appreciate you calling me a son of a bitch, but I won't argue.” They were both still laughing when the door opened. 

Two people in their late teens came in. The girl was pretty but tired looking, blond hair curled past her shoulders, the boy tall and broad shouldered. He had chocolate brown skin and close cropped hair. Tara's face lit up. “Erica, Boyd,”she said, “I missed you guys.”

Boyd hugged Tara and pressed a kiss to her cheek, while Erica gave a flirty hair toss. “Like my new hair?”

“That wig makes look like Sandra D during her bad girl phase,” Theo said.

“Aren't you sweet,” Erica leaned into kiss his cheek.

“Nope.” He dodged easy. “Kiss her, not me. I won't be kissed by anyone that's gone down on my sister.” 

“Like you know anything about our sex life,” Tara scoffed.

“I know our rooms share a wall, and there's a reason I own a pair of noise canceling headphones.” Theo packed up the cards.

Boyd laughed, “he's got you there.”

“Shut up, you're our boyfriend, you're supposed to be on our side,” Tara said. Her smile faded a bit. “How did your tests go?”

He smiled, bright white teeth contrasting with his dark skin. “All good, still in remission.”

“That makes one of us,” Erica said, and kissed his cheek. “I’ve got another four months of chemo and nuking, then, maybe, if I'm lucky, they get to cut open my brain.” The three all held hands.

“I'll go and give you three some privacy.” Theo put his hand on the door handle. 

“He’s just going to go text Liam, his boooyfriend,” Tara teased. He walked out the door as Erica whistled and Boyd made ooo sounds.

Theo sat down the hall in one of the comfortable chairs by the window. It was just after three, he could probably catch Liam before he started lacrosse practice. The phone only rang once before Liam answered. “Hey,” he said his voice somewhere between anger, and despair. 

Theo sat forward. “What's wrong?” In answer Liam sent a selfie. His brows met in a scowl, his jaw set and eyes burned with barely held back rage. He also sparkled. “For the love of toast, how did that happen? Please tell me it was some kind of freak fairy princess accident.”

“No, my ex is a psycho. She set up a glitter bomb in my locker. I don't even know how she got my combination. All day I've been dealing with Twilight jokes, the coach is calling me Tinkerbell, and my usual ride home from practice won't let me in his shity thirty year old jeep.”

“Sorry you're having a bad day. Do you know why she did it?”

He growled in frustration. “She’s had it out for me since we broke up. It was messy... I, kind of, punched her in the face, but not on purpose. It was an accident, not the punching, but punching her. I meant to punch Brett. She got between us, trying to break up the fight. I missed, and hit her.”

“She must be really, really hot, isn't she?”

“Why do you say that?”

“She walked into the middle a fight, and got mad that she took a punch. You obviously weren't attracted to her for her vast intellect.” Liam laughed. “How about I come pick you up. I don't care if you gilter my seats.”

“That would be awesome. Maybe after we could get a pizza and watch a movie, at my house. No crowds, so you won't get in trouble.”

“I'll clear it with my mom, but I can't think of a reason she'd have a problem. See you soon.”

“Okay, see you after practice.” Liam hung up feeling much better than he had when his phone rang.

As he walked to his truck Theo texted his mom:

Theo: Is it ok if I pick Liam up from lacrosse practice? He's had a REALLY bad day and he'll be stuck walking home if I don't.  
Mom: No one on his team can do it?  
Theo: They won't let him glitter their cars.  
Mom: glitter?  
Mom: Nevermind. I would rather not know.  
Mom: Stay away from crowds.  
Theo: mind if we hang out at his house after?  
Mom: school work?  
Theo: done  
Mom: anyone else going to be there?  
Theo: just us, until his parents get home  
Mom: home by 10  
Theo: thanks mom

He rolled his eyes. Friday night and I get a ten o’clock curfew. 

After sending a text to Tara he made he short drive to Beacon Hills High School. Watching his boyfriend play the game he loved should be more fun than anything he could do at the hospital, and it would be good to learn about it so he wouldn't be completely lost when Liam talked about it.

He stood at the far end if the bleachers looking over the field. Players in maroon jerseys with white numbers lined up facing two other players, the goal and goalkeeper. One of the lined up players would grab a ball with their netted stick, then try to get past the defenders and make a shot. 

He was trying to remember what number Liam was, when he heard a bright cheerful voice behind him. “Excuse me,” said a beautiful redhead in a fashionable dress, and high heels, “you're Theo, right? Liam's new boyfriend.” He had hardly nodded when she slipped her arm into his and started leading towards a small group of people. “I’m Lydia. All of us dating someone on the first line sit together when we watch practice, or go to games, as Liam is on the first line, that means you get to join us.”

“I'm really not sure this is a good idea,” he started to protest.

“Oh, yes, Liam mentioned your circumstances and how you can't get sick.” She turned to the small group she'd lead him to. “Mason, are you healthy?”

The only boy in the group looked up. “Yeah, not even a cold,” he said.

“Allison? Megan?” Lydia asked.

“I'm good,” said a pretty brunette. 

“Mama, makes us all wear masks if we get sick,” said a small girl getting her hair braided by Allison. A brown teddy bear with a dingy orange hood sat in her lap.

“See, no exposure. Your health, and by extension your sister's health, is safe, so no excuses. Sit,” she said it all with smile, but somehow it was still an order.

He sat. 'Mason, you're Liam's best friend, right?” 

“Yeah,” Mason said happily, “I'm also dating Corey, the goalie.” His face lit up when he said his boyfriend's name.

An angry yell came from the field, “Mclinski defense! You other losers get in line!” Theo could see the boy with the 24 on his chest step out of line and turn to the coach, but couldn't hear what he said. The coach yelled again, “did I ask for your opinion Stilinski?” He blew his whistle. “Defense!” The guy in 11 just patted 24’s shoulder and they both ran to the space in front of the goalkeeper.

“I'm never going to hear the end of that,” Lydia said with a sigh. 

“I'm confused,” Theo admitted.

“Twenty four is Stiles, my boyfriend,” Lydia said. “Him and Scott are brothers, Megan's brothers, as well. They have different last names, Coach likes to combine so he can yell at the both at the same time. It drives Stiles crazy.”

A tiny voice said, “Scott just has his other dad's last name.” Theo smiled at the little girl, she turned red and hid behind her bear.

Allison finished the little girl's braid. “My brother has a different last name, too, Megan. He might change it when the adoption is finalized, but that's his choice.”

“Isaac should just wait for him and Scott to get married,” the little girl said.

“Does that ever get weird? Your brother dating your ex?” Mason asked.

Allison laughed. “Not as weird as it could be, and no weirder than me dating Scott's other ex girlfriend.”

Theo leaned back, his hands on the bench behind him. “My dad said the biggest thing I was missing doing home school was the insane amount of drama. I thought he was exaggerating before this conversation.”

Lydia smiled. “It does sound rather dramatic when you say it all at once. The truth is months passed between each breakup and the start of each new relationship, and Isaac was our friend before his father went away, so it made sense for him to live with one of us. Allison’s parents were already registered foster parents.” 

“Technically, Scott and Kira broke up less than a week before her and I got together,” Allison said blushing, “but they only had two disastrous dates, so I don't think it counts as a relationship.”

Theo looked at Mason. “Is that supposed to make it less dramatic?”

They continued to talk while watching the lined up players try to score goals. Most were stopped by Scott and Stiles. Out of the ones that got past them only three managed to score a goal. The first number fourteen managed to knock Stiles down while flinging the ball over his shoulder. Corey dove for the ball, but missed it by inches. The next was number nine, Liam. He slipped past the larger boys graceful and smooth then feigned high shot, to score on the lower right. The most impressive goal by far was made by Kira. She jumped, springing off the defender's shoulders, flipped in the air before flinging the ball at high speed directly at the goalie's face. Corey hit the ground.

Allison let out a loud cheer of “That's my girl!” While everyone else stood in shocked silence. 

A stern feminine voice called out, “Theo.” 

He recognized the tone. She was furious. Was he in trouble? Had he done anything to make her come down here? He'd gotten permission to be here, finished his school work. Stepping off the bleachers, he faced his mother. “Mom, what's going on?”


	5. Parents and All The Cringe

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter starts out with Theo's mom verbally abusing him in public. I did my best to keep the details to a minimum, but if it bothers you to read you can skip to the --- . The biggest thing you would miss is coach coming to Theo's rescue. All the important details are mentioned latter on.

A stern feminine voice called out, “Theo.” 

He recognized the tone. She was furious. Was he in trouble? Had he done anything to make her come down here? He'd gotten permission to be here, and finished his school work. Stepping off the bleachers, he faced his mother. “Mom, what's going on?”

“What do you think you're doing?” she asked. Her eyes bore into her son with a cold fury.

Theo took a deep breath. He knew where this was going. “I'm waiting for Liam to finish lacrosse practice so I can take him home. You said that was okay.”

“I said this was okay?” She waved her hand at the small group. “I thought I specifically told you to stay away from crowds. You can be so selfish sometimes, Theo. Do you want your sister to get sick? You know how weak she is. Are you trying to kill her?”

Theo took a deep breath. There was no talking to her when she was in this mood. He looked down, listening to the rhythm of her speech more than the actual words. Her voice kept getting louder as she went, but he knew interrupting her would only make it worse. A crowd might make her angrier, unless he played this right.

She reached in insult part of the lecture. Right after she had finished calling him stupid, careless, and self absorbed a shrill whistle sounded. “Jesus, lady, it's the bleachers, not a zombie hoard. Get your drama away from my field,” the coach yelled. He was still on the field, but now just in front of the stands.

“I'm sorry,” Theo said keeping his voice quiet and a little shaky. “I didn't think four people counted as a crowd. We talked before I sat down. They're all healthy. The little girl's mom works in the long term pediatric unit at the hospital.” He steadied his voice, and his eyes welled with unshed tears. “I'll just wait for Liam at my truck. He still needs a ride home.” He gave the group a small wave. Mason looked terrified, while Lydia had a thoughtful expression. Megan was crying. The two defenders from the field were with her. Scott holding her, her head on his shoulder. The other boy stared daggers at Theo's mom, as he gently pat the girl's back. Allison looked outraged, and held her phone at them, obviously recording. Liam was still on the field, his fist clenched white around the lacrosse stick. Theo looked away, walking back to the parking lot, his mother quickly following silently.

No one spoke. The only sound was Megan's sniffling sobs. “Hey, tiny Stilinski,” Coach said gruffly, “I need an assistant. Think you can manage this?” He held up his whistle. The girl nodded, her eyes wide.

Stiles groaned as the coach wiped the mouthpiece off on the hem of his shirt. “Coach, that is so unsanitary,” he said.

The coach ignored him. “Now, all you do is blow the whistle as loud as you can and they will turn.” He yelled to the team, “running drills at the whistle turn forty-five degrees to the right. Go!” The team groaned. The coach just laughed. Megan blew the whistle and the whole team turned. She laughed and did it again. 

\---

Liam threw his lacrosse stick into his locker. He was so mad he couldn't focus on anything. The entire team was having a hard time focusing after the scene Theo's mom had made. His boyfriend had been in tears. “I hate that bitch,” Liam snarled. “I've seen her twice and each time she has treated him like garbage.”

Isaac paused taking off his pads. “She’s absolutely charming,” the tall boy said, “reminds me of my dad, you know the one in prison.” Scott touched Isaac's arm and gave him a reassuring look. “I'm fine.” Isaac patted Scott's hand, but looked at Liam when he said, “I have a good support system.” 

The younger boy nodded thinking about what support Theo had. His dad and sister, who else? He mentioned a couple of friends from his online classes, but that was it. Liam moved as fast as he could, stripping, showering and again, trying to shake the glitter from his clothes before putting them back on. 

On his way out he heard one his teammates yell, “Hey, Dunbar, third star to the right and straight on until morning, and remember your happy thought!” Liam waved to the guy with only one finger. 

A quick scan of the parking lot, and he saw Theo leaning against the back of a bright blue truck. Theo wasn't crying, and didn't look sad or hurt anymore. He looked pissed. As he got closer he could hear Theo talking on his phone. “No, Dad, she set me up. It was just like last time, except instead of Tracy's panic attack it was a six year old girl in tears.” Liam wished he could hear the other side of the conversation. “Great offer in theory, but it won't do much good if Liam dumps me because my mom is a narcissistic control freak.” Theo paused, then in a sincere voice that was the complete contrast to the roll of his eyes said, “yes sir, I'm sorry.” Theo waved at Liam and gave him a smile. He said bye to his dad and hung up. “Sorry about my mom.” Theo reached out for the smaller teen.

Liam happily took the hug wrapping his arms around Theo's waist, and holding him tight. “Are you okay?” he asked. “You looked really upset.”

Theo made a sound somewhere between a scoffed and a laugh. “That was for her benefit. She usually stops when she gets the reaction she wants, so I force out a tear and point out the emotional deviation around me and she backs off.”

Liam leaned back in surprise. “Wow, that’s uh... really manipulative. Promise you won't manipulate me like that.”

Theo kissed his boyfriend's cheek. “I promise. I only use my powers for good not evil, anyway,” he said with a smile. “I have good news, though. My dad said that he would talk mom around to letting us have real dates, but realistically that won't happen until Tara's out of the hospital. Think you can put up with the bullshit for another three to five weeks?”

“I'm still covered in glitter, and you just hugged me. If that isn't dedication, I don't know what is, besides, a month isn't so bad. We can still get together in other ways,” Liam said, and pulled Theo into a full kiss. Their mouths meshed together, lips to lips, tongue to tongue. 

Too soon Theo pulled out of the kiss. “We should get going. Some of your teammates are staring at us.” He nodded towards a small group of guys all carrying large duffle bags. A tall blond guy with a big grin gave a thumbs up before getting in a car with Allison. Liam waved back. 

On the way to the pizza place the conversation quickly turned to toppings. “You cannot be serious,” Theo said to his boyfriend. “You actually like pineapple on your pizza? I thought my mom and her broccoli artichoke pizza was bad.” He shook his head.

“Hawaiian, pineapple and ham is good, especially if you add bacon to it,” Liam insisted.

“How about we go half triple meat and half… that?” Theo suggested. Liam agreed, but only with the condition that each had to try a piece from the other's half. 

Liam paused just before getting in the truck. “I've got a weird question. It might be too personal, though. You don't have to answer if you don't want to. I mean I'm curious, and would like to know, but I don't want to pressure-”

“Liam,” Theo interrupted, “just ask.” Theo smiled thinking again how cute this boy was.

“Your mom is obviously a control freak.” Liam paused, making sure he hadn't offended the older boy. “Why did she let you learn to drive, let alone let you have your own truck?’

Theo laughed. “My dad didn't give her any say in the matter. He felt guilty, and my birthday was coming up,” Theo said with a small shrug.

“What could your dad have done to feel guilty enough to buy you a truck for your sixteenth birthday?”

“Fifteenth, actually. He taught me how to drive in this. As far as what made him feel guilty… You saw the scar on my stomach, right?”

Liam blinked in surprise. “You have a scar on your stomach?” Theo gave him side eye look. “I've only seen you without a shirt once,” the boy defended, “and mostly I remember your pecs and shoulders and arms… anyway, I don't think I made it to your stomach before you got your shirt on.”

Theo gave a chuckle. “Well, I have a rather large scar on my right side just under my ribs. A couple years ago Tara's cancer was going strong they tried some experimental drug. It kicked her into remission, but trashed her liver. Her only chance was a transplant. Transplant list was out of the question, so my mom told everyone that I volunteered to give her half of mine. I would have volunteered, if anyone had mentioned it to me. I would do anything for my sister.

“The guilt came from the part that she never asked me. The truth is no one actually said anything to me about it until the night before.” He shook his head. “My dad was pissed. He had been out of town and trusted Mom was taking care of everything. He kept his cool and we talked about the surgery and everything, then he went to talk to Mom. I could hear them yelling across the house. Mom didn't think it was that big of a deal because I was still having the surgery. Dad told her if she ever pulled something like that again, ever volunteered me without talking to me first, even if it was something simple like giving blood, he would divorce her and get a medical restraining order, so she couldn't consent for me again.”

\---

Tara looked up at the door when it opened. She smiled at her mom, as the older woman carried a paper bag. “Oo, what ya bring me, Mama?”

“Dinner,” she smiled back at her daughter, “I picked it up from that vegan cafe your brother said was really good.” 

Tara stifled a laugh. Theo had told her the truth, and what to tell Mom. “Sounds good.” If this was terrible she was going to have to kill him, or get Liam to sneak her in one of those burgers. “What brought this on? I thought you were going to stay home and do work stuff, then take a bubble bath?”

She let out a heavy sigh. “I was going to, but your dad and brother started picking on me, so I decided to come over and get some girl time instead. I hope that's okay.” 

Tara took a breath, and forced her smile to stay. “Yeah, that's fine. I love when we get to visit.” She really did like spending time with her mom, but not when mom was trying to play her against Theo and Dad. Both women looked up at the knock on the door. 

Melissa popped her head in “Sorry to interrupt your dinner, but it's very important that I speak with you, Mrs. Raeken,” she said in a pleasant professional voice.

Mrs. Raeken looked to her daughter. Tara shrugged. “Go ahead, I don't mind. I'll even wait for you,” she said. As soon as the two women were out the door she snatched up her phone.

Tara: Mom's playing victim.   
Tara: She yell at u again?  
Tara: U OK?  
Theo: I'm fine. Eating pizza with Liam  
Tara: R U REALLY OK?  
Theo: yes (smile, thumbs up, pizza emojis)  
Tara: (heart emoji) u little bro  
Tara: I get the vegan place u told mom was good  
Theo: (cry laughing emoji) good luck (vomit emoji)

\---

Melissa led the other woman down the hall and just out of the ward into a small conference room. She carefully closed the door and lowered the blinds. Only when she was sure of their privacy did she turn to speak. “You want to yell at your kid? Fine, I can't stop you. God know the CPS reports don't do anything, but when you decide to berate him in front of my kids. That's when we have a problem. Let me make this real clear, if you so much as give Theo a dirty look in front of any of my three, no four kids, I'm claiming Isaac in this case too, I will make sure the sheriff opens an investigation, not just for emotional and verbal abuse, but medical as well.”

“You have no authority to start up that kind of investigation, and even if you did, you have no proof,” Mrs. Raeken sounded smug.

“You're right, I don't have that authority. Do you know who the sheriff is?”

“Noah Stilinski.”

“Do you know my last name?”

She had to think. “McCall.”

“You're, actually, about eight years out of date. It's McCall-Stilinski, and the little girl you made cry, her last name is also Stilinski.”

“What grounds could he, possibly, have to open an investigation? Without proof of harm it falls to CPS to investigate.”

Melissa pulled out her phone, and held it up showing a video of the scene Mrs. Raeken had made at the school. “I think verbally eviscerating your son in front of forty people counts as harm.”

“You can't talk to me this way. I'll have your job.”

Melissa barked a laugh. “You think I'm the one one that has filed those reports? We're all mandatory reporters. How do you think Tara would take you getting her favorite nurse removed from her care? Better yet, how do you think she'd react to this?” She held up the phone. “I've noticed how you never attack Theo when she's around.”

Mrs. Raeken didn't speak, she nodded once then left the office. She spent the evening with her daughter.

\---

The pizza had been good. Even the pineapple wasn't bad. Something about the sweet salty mix made it work. They ate the pizza and watched old episodes of Archer, laughing and enjoying the chance to relax. Once the pizza was gone they turned on a movie. Theo couldn't remember which one. That didn't matter. The only thing that mattered to him was the boy next to him, the taste of his mouth, the feel of his hair in Theo's fingers, the way Liam's hands had just slipped under the hem of Theo's t-shirt, and slid over his stomach. 

“Are you boys aware that your movie is over?” The boys jumped apart. Red colored both their cheeks. “Hi, you must be Theo,” said a petite woman on her late thirties with dark blond hair. She had large blue eyes and the same bright smile as her son. If she was upset by catching them mid make out she gave no sign. “Call me Jenna, all Liam's friends do.”

“Hey, Theo,” Dr. Geyer said carrying a couple of grocery bags into the kitchen. He smiled at the boys. “Good, you two have eaten, and had a chance to get comfortable.” Theo's blush deepened. Liam's dad gave a reassuring laugh. “You’re welcome here any chance you get.”

“Thanks, Dr. Geyer,” Theo said still blushing.

“I'm only doctor when I'm working. While you're in my house you can call me David,” he insisted.

“Yes, sir, I mean, David,” Theo said. When the adults had moved off into the kitchen he turned back to his boyfriend. “That could have been a lot more awkward.”

Jenna's voice carried from the kitchen. “When you had the sex talk with Liam, you included all the guy on guy stuff, right, David?”

“Of course,” David said. His voice took on a clinical professionalism, “we covered everything from condoms and lubricant to the importance of foreplay to avoid anal tearing.”

Liam's face turned and even darker shade of red and he covered it with his hands. “We can hear you!” He yelled towards the kitchen.

“You should probably pick him some condoms, so they have them when they need them,” Jenna suggested.

“I know neither of them have a latex allergy. I'll just pick up a few different sizes to be sure they can get a good fit,” David said.

“Oh my God! We've only been together a week!” Liam yelled without moving his hands, or looking up.

Jenna stepped back into the living room, and said “we aren't trying to rush you, sweetheart. We just want you to know there’s also shame in exploring your sexuality at your own pace. Fast or slow, only you can make that call, also have a perfectly good bed up stairs. I don't want a call from the sheriff that you two got up to something in the back of that truck, and were arrested for indecent exposure.” She went back to the kitchen.

“Excuse me, while I go crawl into a whole and die of embarrassment,” Liam mumbled.

That was it. Theo erupted into giggles. When he managed to catch his breath gasped “dude, your parents are awesome.”


	6. Friends and Foes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mostly fluff this chapter

Theo laid on his stomach. He was facing the foot of the bed with his computer open in front of him. Today he was supposed to be resting. His dad, and Dr. Geyer had both ordered it after he had given Tara an extra pint of blood the day before, just three days after his usual weekly donation, so here he was, in his underwear and headphones, listening to music and chatting with his friends.

Theo: I need ideas for a real date!  
Tracy: dinner and movie. Total classic  
Theo: all we do now is watch movies. I want something we can't do at our houses.  
Josh: fuck him in the back of your truck (eggplant and peach emojis)  
Theo: NO  
Theo: I said a DATE, not a sleazy hook up.  
Tracy: isn't your guy's big date like a month away?   
Theo: it has to be PERFECT. I need time to plan.  
Josh: Just give him the DDDD. That would be perfect  
Theo: (eyeroll emoji)  
Tracy: go to the zoo?  
Josh: I can sneak you guys into Sinema, even get you drinks. I know a dude  
Theo: zoo could work...  
Theo: sneaking into a gay bar, when my bf is on probation sounds like a bad idea.  
Josh: cluck, cluck, bitch  
Tracy: Is your mom actually going to let this happen?   
Theo: My dad isn't giving her a choice, besides she'll be super busy getting Tara ready to come home. She won't have time to think about me.  
Josh: when do we get to meet your boy toy?  
Tracy: you mean in person?!  
Josh: yeah! I want to meet him  
Tracy: meeting the bf sounds fun, another screaming session from Crazy Bitch doesn't  
Theo: I'll talk to Liam. Tara can keep The Bitch busy.  
Tracy: ok then I'm in  
Theo: yay!  
Theo: picking him up in an hour and still need pants  
Tracy: bye! Have fun  
Josh: go without pants and send pics

He closed his computer with a laugh, but otherwise ignored Josh's last comment. Him and Josh had been friends for a little over a year, when the other boy had started school with the same online curriculum. They had been assigned a group project and quickly became friends. He had met Tracy a few years before that at home school event at their local library.

After a fast shower he put on jeans and his favorite pink hoodie, grabbed the gift bag from his dresser and made the drive to Liam's school. Opting for caution, he stayed in the parking lot. Learning about lacrosse would have to wait. He parked next to the ancient blue Jeep, on the assumption that there weren't likely to be many of those, and waited.

It didn't take long for the group of guys to come out. Scott, Stiles and the tall blond guy he'd seen with Allison last week all walked with Liam. The shorter boy wore a baseball cap. He pulled the bill down lower over his face when he saw Theo's truck. Theo got out to join the team mates. 

“Hi, nice to finally get to talk to you,” Scott said with a large happy grin as he extended a hand to Theo.

Stiles looked less pleased to see the him. “Kind of risky coming out here after what happened last week, isn't it?” Stiles asked. Suspicion laced his voice.

Theo answered carefully, “not as much as you think. My dad said it was okay and my mom is on a conference call with her boss for another forty-five minutes, by that point I will be someplace she can't freak out over.” He held up the gift bag. “For Megan, to say sorry my mom's a crazy bitch.”

Scott said, “you really didn't have to do that,” at the same time Stiles took the bag and pulled out a doll. She wore a green poncho with braided hair on top of her head.

“Endor Leia?” Stiles asked.

Theo responded with a grin. “She carries Wicket as a teddy bear, and Allison was braiding her hair the same style as in Return of the Jedi. I figured it be a safe gift.”

“She told you her bear's name?” Liam asked, still keeping his head down.

Stiles rolled his eyes. Theo looked at his boyfriend in horror. “You haven't seen Star Wars?” he asked. Liam shook his head. “Okay, we can start on the original trilogy tonight.” He shook his head. “I can't believe you haven't seen them.”

“Don't feel too bad, I can't get Scott to watch them, and I've been trying since we were six,” Stiles said.

“Thanks for the doll. Megan will love it,” Scott said, offering his hand. They shook and the older boys piled into the Jeep and drove off with a wave at Liam.

Theo gave Liam an expectant look. They stood in awkward silence for a moment, Liam squirming. Finally, Theo asked, “black eye or broken nose?” Liam sighed and took of his hat. A deep purple bruise covered not just his right eye, but up over his eyebrow and halfway down his cheek. “Holy crap!” Theo stepped closer. “That didn't happen today. What happened?”

“I got in a fight over the weekend,” his face flushed with anger and embarrassment, “and I don't need another lecture. I already got them from my parents, the coach, Scott and a huge fucking meeting with the principal and guidance counselor.”

Theo took a deep breath, and smiled at the angry boy. “Not my job to lecture you, Liam. I'm your boyfriend. It's my job to listen, be supportive, and tell you the jackass deserved to get punched.” Liam opened his mouth to say something but no sound came out. Theo put his arms round Liam. “How am I supposed to be the perfect boyfriend if you don't tell me when crap happens. If I had known you were having such bad day I could have brought pineapple pizza and peanut butter cups.”

Liam looked down, and rested his head against Theo's shoulder. “I should have told you. I just…” he fell silent for a moment. “didn’t want you to be disappointed in me, too.” 

Theo just hugged him tighter. “You want to show me how to play lacrosse, the basics anyway? I know like nothing about it” Liam's stomach made a loud rumble. “After we get some sandwiches.”

They grabbed a couple of sandwiches from a nearby shop, and ate them in the bleachers by the empty field. The time between bites was filled with light and easy conversation, and texts to parents so that no one was worried. Once the food had settled Liam and Theo took to the field. 

Liam was showing Theo proper grip technique when they heard someone approach. “Can't be that good of a boyfriend if he can't even hold your stick right.” The speaker was a tall lanky guy with short blond hair. He also had a black eye and a split lip. 

Theo saw Liam tense as soon as the guy had started talking. “Go away, Brett,” he said through clenched teeth.

“Can't. I'm picking up my girlfriend.” He smirked. “You know, now that I think about it, you two are probably a great match. Hayden said you were useless with your fingers. She also said she's glad she doesn't have to fake it anymore.”

Liam let out an almost canine growl. He let go of the lacrosse stick, but before he turned Theo said, “Wow, attacking our sexual prowess while complimenting your own on a sports field. What's next in your repertoire of toxic masculinity, rape jokes, or saying mental illness is really just weakness?” Liam and Brett both looked at him in shock. 

Hayden turned the corner walking towards them. Glared at Liam before smiling at Brett. “There you are. Ready to go?’

“Yeah.” The tall boy stood, wrapped his arms around around the girl and slipping a hand into her back pocket.

“Hayden, right?” Theo asked. She rolled her eyes at him. “Just thought you should know your boyfriend is bragging to total strangers that he got in your pants.” Brett paled slightly. Theo continued. “I'd want to know if I was in your position.” 

The couple walked away without saying any more. When he was sure they were out of earshot Liam threw his arms around Theo's neck and kissed him. “Thank you. That's the first time I have kept from punching him when he's started his shit.”

Theo smirked. “Well, the jackass deserves to be punched, but seriously, am I going to have to do the Scott Pilgrim thing and defeat all your evil exes?”

Liam’s face went a little green. “I never dated Brett. He's straight.”

Theo snorted a laugh. “Yeah, sure he is.”

\---

It was a couple of weeks before Theo could get Josh, Tracy and Liam all together. A task made harder by Tracy's refusal to go anywhere near his house, not that he blamed her for it. The last time Tracy had been around his mom, The Bitch had started yelling and triggered a panic attack. Her anxiety was starting to get under control he didn't want her to have a relapse just to meet his boyfriend. It was Liam who came up with the solution. 

That was how three homeschooled kids ended up pulling into the parking lot of the high school at ten to five in the afternoon. Josh sat in the passenger seat his head leaning on the window while Tracy chattered nervously from the back seat. Shortly after Theo parked the truck Josh looked up in confusion. “This is Beacon Hills High School,” he said. “Crap!” He scrambled to get his seatbelt undone, before climbing in the back. Tracy let out a yelp as Josh stepped on her. He stumbled as he tried to squeeze between the front seats and almost sat on Theo's shoulder.

“What the hell? How many of those special gummy bears did you have?” Theo asked, pushing his friend into the back.

“Not as many as I wanted.” He settled in the back seat. “I was expelled from here. Old Man Argent catches me and he'll have me arrested.”

Theo rolled his eyes. “If you had mentioned that when I told you we were coming here I could have picked Liam up first.”

“It's fine.” He pulled up his hood. “Let me know if a creepy bald old guy comes by, so I can duck down.”

They didn't have to wait long before Theo saw Liam, still wearing his lacrosse shorts. There were two guys with him. One, he recognized was Mason, the other, he didn't know. He was taller than the other boys by a couple of inches with brown hair and a square jaw. 

Liam's face lit up like the sun when he saw Theo parked. He jogged over and kissed him through the open window. When he pulled away Liam said, “I missed you.”

“We saw each other yesterday.” The smiled.

“Yeah, but that was at the hospital and we were both exhausted.” He leaned in to kiss his boyfriend again. A throat cleared behind them. Liam blushed. “My mom thought your friends should meet my friends, so I brought Mason and Corey.” 

“Sounds great, but we should get going. I didn't realize this was one of the schools the dumbass in back got expelled from.” Theo explained. Josh flipped Theo off from the back seat.

“Josh?” Corey asked, his smile growing wide.

Josh's face lit up as he leaned out the window. “Hey Corey!” They bumped fists.

Liam, Mason and Theo traded puzzled looks and shrugs. “We were friends before the drug dogs found his stash, and he got kicked out,” Corey explained. “Josh, this is my boyfriend Mason. Him and Liam go way back.”

Josh gave a pout. “Boyfriend, huh. Knew I should have hit that when I had the chance.”

“You wish you had that chance,” Corey snorted, but still smiled.

“Okay,” Theo said looking at the gathered boys, and the anxious look in Tracy's eyes, “Tracy you're up front with me. The guys will have to squeeze in back.” Liam looked at his boyfriend with shock. “I'm not having my best friend, and the only girl smashed in next to three stinky and sweaty boys, even if they're all gay.” Tracy gave an audible sigh of relief and moved to the front. Unlike Josh, she used the doors.

“I'm not stinky. I showered,” Liam defended. Theo eyed the lacrosse shorts. “I sat in gum. It's still stuck to my jeans.”

“You only sat in it, because your psycho ex put gum in your seat when you were solving the problem on the board,” Mason pointed out.

“Can we get out of here before Argent catches me?” Josh asked looking around.

The backpacks and lacrosse bags went in the bed. Tracy took shotgun, Mason sat in Corey's lap, and Liam, the one with the shortest legs, ended up sitting in the middle, and complaining about it, until Theo gave him grin and promised to make it worth it.

Liam's house was only a couple of miles from the school. Once there, the hoard of teens invaded the living room. Mason started up the video games, and Liam ran upstairs to change while everyone settled into various seats. Liam came back in to find his mom setting down three large boxes of pizza and a case of soda. Everyone thanked her as she made her way out of the room. 

Theo pulled Liam on to his lap. “This a better seat?” Liam nodded. “I could help you come up with a a way to stop Hayden, if you want me to.”

This time he shook his head. “No,” Liam said, “I'm pretty sure she just wants my reaction. If I don't let her get to me, she'll stop.”

“Let me know if you change your mind.” 

The teens settled into a fun and comfortable night of video games and pizza, jokes and laughter.


	7. A Perfect Day

Theo gave himself one last look in the mirror. He was freshly shaved, his hair was perfectly styled, and teeth brushed. He was ready. Nervous excitement bubbled through his stomach. He and Liam had been boyfriends for over a month, but today was their first real date. They weren't going to be at the hospital or Liam's house. He smiled. Everything was planned. Today would be perfect. 

He finished packing up his toiletries and his pajamas into his backpack, and stepped out into Tara's hospital room. 

His sister sat on the bed. She'd put on some weight in the last month. Her eyes were less sunken in and she was looking healthier. The drawings on her head had all faded, fresh stubble growing in. “How do I look?” he asked. 

She looked him up and down. Her lip curled up and her forehead creased in confusion. “Is that what you're wearing for your date?”

He looked down, his black and red sweater was comfortable and showed off his broad shoulders. The skinny jeans fit him like a second skin. His voice rose slightly in panic, “what's wrong with what I'm wearing?” Her face split into a smile and she started laughing. He grabbed the wash cloth from the sink and threw it at her. 

“You look good, but I'm surprised you found skinny jeans that fit over those tree trunks you call legs.”

“You're just jealous because I have better legs than your boyfriend.”

“Not my girlfriend, though.” Their laughter was interrupted by Tara's phone. “That's probably mom saying she's leaving the house.”

“Then I'm out of here,” he said putting on his shoes. “The last thing I want is my mood spoiled by an encounter with her.”

Tara frowned. “I wish the two of you could get along.”

“That's not going to happen until she starts treating me like a human being.”

“I know she can be awful, but I wish you wouldn't exaggerate it so much.”

He kissed his sister's cheek. “I'll see you at home tonight.”

She hugged him. “Yes you will! And you better have details for me. I want to know everything you guys do.” He stared at her from the doorway. “Well not the R rated stuff.”

He rolled his eyes and gave one last wave. “Bye, Tara.”

\---

Liam grabbed another shirt out of his closet. He held it up in front of himself. “How about this one?” he asked the open laptop.

“It's fine,” Mason said sighing in frustration. “They're all fine. Why aren't you wearing the shirt we picked out last night?” 

“This is a date. Our first real date. I can't wear a t-shirt.”

“You're going to a street fair. Everyone there will be in t-shirts. Last week I saw a guy dressed as Deadpool. He was humping a stormtrooper. There isn't exactly a dress code.”

“We're going to dinner after. How's this?” Liam pulled on a grey Henley.

“Liam, Theo's here,” Jenna called from down stairs.

“Perfect” Mason said, “and you wouldn't want to keep your boyfriend waiting, so go meet him and I can go back to sleeping in on a Saturday morning.” He closed the video chat leaving Liam alone.

Liam's stomach did a little flip when he saw Theo standing in the entryway talking to his mom. Sometimes he was still caught him off guard by how good that boy looked. Then Theo smiled and his breath caught.

“Okay, boys, curfew is nine thirty.” Liam started to argue, but she cut him off. “Twelve hours is more than long enough for a date, and I expect you to check in a few times throughout the day. Have fun, and be safe,” Jenna said, kissed each boy on the cheek and pushed them out the door.

“I can't believe she kissed you, too. Sorry she's so touchy feely,” Liam said blushing.

“Liam, you never need to apologise for your mom being a good person.” Theo pulled the truck out onto the street. 

“You really aren't embarrassed by her?” Liam smiled as Theo shook his head. His expression turned more serious when he asked, “what are the odds your mom is going to pull something today?”

“Zero.” Theo spoke with a surety that surprised the other boy. “Tara gets discharged today. My mother has been focused on that all week, getting the house ready, and making the cleaning service she hired crazy. Today she'll be helping Tara pack, get moved back home and probably annoying the hell out of your dad with last minute questions. She will be far too busy to crash our date.”

\---

The fair was packed with people. Row upon row of game booths, vendor stalls, and food carts crowded around a fountain, several parking lots and the space under an overpass. A musician playing several upside-down buckets pounded out an impressive beat. The smells of every kind of food hit them. “Games or shopping, where do you want to start?” Theo asked.

“Games. If we start by shopping then we either have to carry the stuff all day or walk back to your car a thousand times,” Liam said. 

They walked into the closest row of booths hand in hand. They walked through discussing what games they wanted to try. The first one, target shooting with an air pellet rifle they both missed. “The sights are off,” Theo said shrugging.

Liam rolled his eyes. “The games always give the house an advantage.” Theo nodded in agreement, and they set off down the row, trying to pick what game they would play next. As they were about to start a miniature basketball game with a moving hoop shrill music caught their attention. It took a moment for Theo to recognize the song. He turned to see man wearing a black kilt and Darth Vader mask. He played The Imperial March on a set of bagpipes and was riding unicycle quickly down the row. “Huh,” Liam said, “isn’t the helmet the asthmatic cyborg wore in those movies you made me watch?”

“Asthmatic cyborg,” Theo said dumbfounded, “I don't know where you get your delusions, laser brain.” 

They started the game. “I'm so going to kick your ass in this,” Liam bragged. Theo took the first shot, and made the basket. Liam took his shot, also making it. “You're going down, Raeken.”

“Only if you're lucky.” Theo gave him a smirk and a wink, then chuckled at Liam's blush. He made another basket.

Liam took his second throw, but it went wide. He rubbed the back of his head, and glanced over his shoulder. “Something hit me.”

“Sure,” Theo teased and made another point. Liam's third shot went high. He turned around with a snarl. Brett stood in the middle of the road, a bag of roasted nuts in his hand. He threw one in the air, caught it in his mouth, then waved. “Let's go. He isn't worth ruining our day.” Theo put a hand on Liam's back, offering him a smile, and the small green elephant plushie he just won.

“That thing is fugly,” he complained, but still took the stuffed animal, holding it close like it was made of gold, and wrapped his arms around Theo's waist.

It was close to noon, so they made for the food vendors. After some discussion they picked a Hawaiian food truck and sat down for lunch. It didn't take long for Liam's mood to improve, when Theo kept feeding him bites of teriyaki chicken, and stealing bites of macaroni salad from his plate. 

They spent the next few hours wandering the fair, drifting between the stalls, admiring the hand made knickknacks and custom artworks. When Liam saw Theo admiring a silver spike pendant he insisted on buying it for him. Theo thanked him with a kiss, and they continued exploring. 

It was nearing evening when Theo noticed a particular stall. “That's Tara's favorite,” he said pointing at a sign that read Ito Organic Teas, “do you mind if we check it out?” Liam shook his head but froze after two steps, and pointed. 

Behind the table, Brett was smiling while he placed several packages into a bag and gave to a middle aged woman. Liam sighed. “How about you go, and I'll go watch that spray paint artist for a bit?” Theo agreed.

As he walked to the stall he thought about what he would say. He hadn't planned on speaking to the asshole alone, but he wasn't about to waste the chance. Brett was doing something with his back to the table when Theo said, “Can I get a pound of your reishi matcha mix?”

“Sure thing. It must be a favorite if you're getting that much,” Brett actually sounded friendly. 

“I think it smells like feet and lawn clippings, honestly, but my sister loves it, so here I am.”

Brett grabbed the package. “I know what you mean. I've got a sister, too. Anything else?” He turned, and seeing Theo he froze.

“Yes, you can stop harassing Liam. Stop singling him out on the lacrosse field. Stop antagonizing him. Just leave him alone.” There was an edge to his voice, and combined with the icy stare it sent a shiver down Brett's spine. 

“And what if I don't?” Brett asked refusing to be intimidated.

“I don't know yet. You haven't been worth the effort of thought for me to come up with something, but if you keep fucking with my boyfriend, I will devote every spare second I have to making you wish your sister was an only child.” He took the tea and handed Brett a few folded bills. “Keep the change. Buy a new hobby.” He turned on his heel, and left to continue his date.

\---

They had dinner at a small cafe overlooking a quiet stretch of beach. Their seats on the patio made it possible to hear the waves, and watch the sunset. The candles and soft music completed the romantic atmosphere, and despite all tables being full, it felt like they were the only people there.

About halfway through dinner a group of guys started a bonfire just down the beach. They were just close enough to be annoying. Theo noticed most of them were wearing green hoodies, but told himself it had to be a coincidence, and gave Liam his full attention, until a tall guy of those gathered waved directly at him. 

Brett shot him a defiant grin. “Hey guys,” he pitched his voice to carry, even though he appeared to speak just to his friends, “remember that preseason game where that bitch ass freshman let every guy through, so we took him out and hit him with lacrosse balls until he completely lost his shit?”

The blood had drained from Liam's face when Brett started talking. By the time he'd finished Liam was red with rage. Only Theo's had on his kept him from going over the small fence and attacking. “Instead of hitting him let's spike their drinks with horse laxative,” Theo suggested. Liam blinked a few times at his boyfriend. “Or I could get an air horn and blast it every time he opens his mouth, or better yet a whoopie cushion.” This time Liam laughed. Theo signaled their waitress for the check, and they quickly left the restaurant.

“I'm sorry,” Liam said once they reached Theo's truck. His eyes were focused on the ground, his voice heavy. “I feel like you're spending all day trying to keep me from losing control.” 

Theo took Liam's hand, pulled him close and gently, lifted his chin. “I've spent all day with the most amazing guy in town, and with the exception of two very short encounters with a walking douchebag, I think today has been perfect.” He placed a soft kiss on Liam's knuckles. “I had planned on taking the romantic dinner to a romantic, moonlit walk on the beach, but that doesn't seem like such a good idea, anymore.”

Liam chewed on his lip. “That sounds really nice. Maybe we can still do it, just go to a different part of the beach.” Theo nodded.

They drove a few blocks down to a different entrance, left their shoes in the truck and walked just out of reach of the surf. They didn't speak. They just held hands, watched the sun finish setting and the sky darken. They listened to the waves as the moon rose. By the time they turned around their arms were wrapped around each other, their bodies pressed together. Liam leaned his head against Theo's shoulder. Theo look at the other boy. They leaned in, their lips inching closer together.

The first water balloon hit Theo in the back of the head. Water poured down his back and splashed in all directions. The second balloon hit Liam in the chest. Theo took Liam's arm and turned to run away from the assault. 

“Run, bitches!” Brett yelled, “can’t wait for our next game, Dunbar.” He continue to throw the balloons until they were out of range.

They were soaked and out of breath by the time they got back to the truck. “Maybe we should have skipped the beach walk,” Liam panted.

Theo chuckled, “it was worth it.” He pulled the dripping sweater over his head, and reached for his backpack. “Are your jeans wet?”

“No. Looks like my shirt took it all.”

Theo paused for a moment his eye focused on his boyfriend. “As much as I love the sight of you in a wet shirt, you should get dry.” He tossed him the t-shirt he'd slept in the night before, then took yesterday's out for himself. Theo took another moment to enjoy the sight of Liam, this time in his shirt. “What's Brett's last name?” 

“Talbot, why?”

“Because the first step in revenge is always research. I need to know about him so can I know how best to destroy him.” Theo said this like he was talking about washing dishes or taking the trash out. “You looked shocked.”

“Well, you just casually talk about destroying someone like a chore on your to do list.”

Theo shrugged. It really was just a chore to him. He'd do the research on his own. No need to worry his boyfriend. “You're do home in half an hour, we should probably just head that way.”

Liam nodded. When they were on the way he asked, “the crowd restriction, is that fully lifted or was today a one time thing?”

Theo smiled, and Liam felt his heart skip a beat. “Lifted. Tara has to be careful still, probably have to wear a mask when she's out, but I'm in the clear as long as I don't go around licking door knobs.”

They parked outside Liam's house with fifteen minutes left before he had to go inside. “Kiss me goodnight?” Liam asked with his sunshine smile. 

The kisses through the day had been light, gentle some even chaste. This kiss took Liam's breath away. It was heat, passion and want in physical expression. Heat spread from their joined lips down to the pit of Liam's stomach. He didn't remember sliding into Theo's lap, but that's where he was when it ended. He rested his forehead on Theo's when he asked, “What time do you need to be home?”

“Eleven,” Theo said, his voice deep and raspy.

“You could come in.” Liam chewed his lip. “We don't have to rush into anything, but I don't want to stop kissing you.” Theo nodded.

\---

“You're late!” Tara pounced as soon as the door opened.

“I'm exactly on time,” Theo said holding up his phone with the time on display. He tossed her the package of tea. “And shouldn't it be Mom or Dad asking me that?” 

“Mom's tired from today and went to take a bubble bath. Dad had an emergency call from a client and is catching a red eye to Chicago. You were in a sweater this morning, now you're in yesterday's t-shirt, and is that a hickey?” she teased, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

He pushed her hand away from where she pulled at the neck of his shirt. “I thought you didn't want those kinds of details.”


	8. Game Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is some light homophobia in this chapter... kinda... not really. Ok it's a little complicated just be warned the "other f word" is used twice in this chapter.

Theo pulled on the hoodie. It was tight. He couldn't breath. Yeah, that wasn't going to work. His shirt came off with the hoodie. He picked up the mostly white lacrosse jersey, with its maroon number nine and Dunbar written across the shoulders. Liam would be wearing the one with inverted colors in the game tonight. He pulled it on. Bigger than the sweatshirt to leave room for the pads, and nicely stretchy, it fit.

“You know that's not supposed to be skin tight, right, little brother,” Tara said then flopped down on his bed. She was bundled up in a sweater and blue and purple knit cap, this one has cat ears. 

“Your mask is done.” Theo pointed at his desk at a surgical mask. Drawn across it was a fang filled, open mouthed grin framed by a purple cat muzzle with a blue nose.

She let a happy squeak. “Perfect! I love it.” She took a moment to admire it, before asking, “how's the revenge plotting going?”

“I don't think revenge is the right word. It's more punishment, meets deterrent on a scale that can only be described as overkill. To answer your question, the plotting is done, but I'm still not sure I'm going to go through with it.”

“How many dates has this guy crashed?”

“Most of them, if Brett isn't taunting Liam from a few yards away he's throwing stuff at us, or shouting insults. The worst part I have no idea how he finds us. It's not like we have friends in common or talk on social media about it.”

Her voice took hushed tone. “Maybe he put a GPS tracker on your truck?!”

“No, I already checked.” 

Tara laughed. When Theo raised his eyebrows at her, she laughed even harder. “Oh my God! You really did look, didn't you?”

Theo was saved from answering by a knock at his open door. Jonathan Raeken stuck his head in, “Want to grab some food on the way to the game?” 

“I want to get there early to get good seats. I was also thinking of getting something after the game with Liam when I give him a ride,” Theo explained.

Tara giggled. “You going to take him home before or after that ride?”

Jonathan held his hand up to stop his children before he heard something he couldn't unhear. “Teasing or not, I don't want to know,” he said. “Just be safe, and given her reaction to you coming home with a hickey, for the love of God do NOT tell your mother. That is one fight I would prefer to avoid.”

\---

When Theo got to the field only Mason, Lydia and Allison were there. He's joined them, helping Allison make a sign. She'd put his drawing skills to use asking him to draw a cyclone filed with screaming boys in green shirts. He took some perverse pleasure in drawing a tall boy upside-down with a 28 on his chest. 

“What the hell are you doing, Dunbar?” The question was yelled by a tall man with wild black hair poking out of his cap. The strange part was that he stared at Theo.

“Uh Coach,” a girl in lacrosse gear, Kira, he was sure, said “Liam's on the field. That's his boyfriend.”

“Who the hell is Liam?” the coach snapped.

“Dunbar,” she said softly, almost a question. The coach yelled something unintelligible. She gave Theo a small smile and a shrug, then she noticed Allison, and her face lit up. She waved, then the coach yelled again, making her flinch. She ran back to finish warming up. 

The stands slowly started to fill about fifteen minutes before the face off Theo got a text from Tara asking where they were sitting. As he texted back, Mason asked cautiously, “Your dad isn't crazy like your mom, right?” 

Theo smiled. “My mom is out of her mind, but my dad is great. He keeps her off my back most of the time. She never would have pulled that if Dad had been in town.” 

When they arrived the girls immediately hugged Tara, making her part of the group. Jonathan and Mason, who both knew less about lacrosse than Theo, sat back saying vague, but supportive things like “yay, sports,” and “go cyclones,”. 

The game was a new experience for Theo. He had never been interested in team sports, but Liam had taught him a lot. He cheered and jumped both times his boyfriend scored a goal. He cheered without jumping when another player on his team scored. Unfortunately, Davenford had scored more. Beacon Hills was down by five. 

Near the end of the first half Isaac had the ball when an opposing player checked him, and he lost it. Liam went to recover it, but another Davenford player got it first. Half a seconds later Brett hit Liam square in the chest. The smaller boy flew back slamming into the ground hard enough to knock his helmet off. He didn't get up. The whistle blew. The crowd fell silent. The coach yelled. 

He watched as the coach, Scott and Melissa all hovered over Liam. A thousand years later Scott helped the smaller boy to his feet, and two boys from the bench slowly walked him to the school. The older boys went to play the last minute of the half, number sixty eight went to play in Liam's place. 

Tara squeezed his hand. Reassurance filled her voice. “I'm sure he's going to be fine. If they thought he was hurt bad they wouldn't have let him walk off the field.”

Theo nodded, and let her pull him into a hug. “Not overkill,” he whispered in her ear. She shivered at his icy tone. For everyone else he said, “I'm going to check on Liam,” and made his way to the school.

As the double doors closed behind him, Theo realized he had no idea where to go. He had never even been in the building before. He looked down the first hall and saw Melissa on a call. “There's a good chance he has a concussion.” She looked at Theo and pointed to another hall. He thanked her with a wave and a nod, and took off at a fast walk. 

He turned the corner and saw Brett. The tall boy was about to walk through a door with a hand written sign that said “visitors”. He paused, sneered at Theo, “Coming to check on your girlfriend?”

“I warned you to back off. Now, you have my attention.” Theo stepped closer, eyes hard with anger.

Brett laughed, high and mocking. “Oh, I'm so scared.”

“Good,” Theo said with a malicious smirk, “because the plan really wasn't hard to come up with, once I figured you out, I mean.” Brett rolled his eyes. “Brett Talbot, sixteen years old, seventeen in June, 826 Deer Creek Drive. You live with your foster sister, Lori Rohr, and foster mother Satomi Ito, and work part time for her organic tea business. You attend Davenford, as a sophomore, on a lacrosse scholarship, you made a scholarship for your sister a condition of you going. Not smart, by the way, making such a big declaration, then inviting me to come after you. It would be so easy to make sure she didn't make it home some evening after softball practice.”

Brett let the locker room door close. Eyes filled with rage. “If you-”

Theo gave an unpleasant laugh. “I have no intention of hurting her. I just want you to know I could. This is between you and me. It can stay that way. Actually, it was between you and Liam first. I know you exploited his mental illness to get him kicked off Davenford's lacrosse team, picking at him pressing his buttons until he hit you. If it had stopped there I would just say you were protecting your scholarship. I mean, they wouldn't need you if he was on the team, right?” Theo watched the way Brett's jaw clenched, and his eyes narrowed. He laughed at the taller boy. “But it didn't stop there. You show up at random places you know he'll be and pick fights. You start dating his ex with an axe to grind. You crash our dates. It reminds me of a five year old boy pulling the girl's hair because he doesn't know how to say he likes her.” Brett's hand tightened into a fist. His footing changed slightly, more balanced. Theo knew he was almost there. “When you're out with Hayden, and she's on her knees in front of you, do you ever close your eyes and pretend it's Liam?” He saw the punch coming. When the swing was in mid air Theo pitched his voice higher, and yelled, “fag!” He rode the force of the punch to the floor, and gave Brett one last smirk before his face became a mask of shocked fear, and the doors opened.

The hall erupted into confusion. Players from both teams flooded out of the locker rooms. Brett was poised for another punch. Theo spit blood from his cut lip. Suddenly Scott was between them, and Corey and Isaac pulled Theo to his feet. Davenford players swarmed around Brett. Shouts and insults flew from both sides until a shrill whistle sounded. 

“What the hell is going on?” the Beacon Hills coach yelled. Everyone fell silent. He looked around, then focused on Theo. “You, fake Dunbar, why are you bleeding?”

“I asked him if he was stalking my boyfriend because he's a closet case with a crush and he called me a fag and hit me.” Someone handed him a paper towel. He pressed it to his lip. 

“That's a lie,” Brett yelled back. “He’s the one that yelled that, not me.”

The Davenford coach gave Brett a stern look, “you hit him?” Shame colored Brett's face and he looked away, but nodded.

“That's ridiculous,” Jonathan Raeken said. Theo hadn't seen him come in the hall. “You're saying that my openly gay son yelled a homophobic slur as you hit him?” He turned to Theo. “Is this the boy that has been stalking you and Liam?” Theo nodded. “And he hit Liam hard enough to knock his helmet off on the field?” When Theo nodded again Jonathan turned to the Davenford coach. “What I see here is an angry, obsessive boy committing escalating acts of homophobic violence. Do you have a good reason we shouldn't press charges?”

\-----

“That's when my dad went full lawyer mode,” Theo said. He sat on the foot of Liam's hospital bed. “He'll be meeting with Davenford's and Brett's lawyers tomorrow, they will decide how to handle it. Knowing my dad, that's going to mean something like therapy, and a restraining order. He's big on rehabilitation over punishment.”

Liam sat in bed surrounded by pillows, an IV in his arm. “He's going to be expelled. Davenford has a strict honor code. The fight at another school might have been enough by itself, but together with calling you… that, and everything else...” His eyes widened, and his mouth fell open. “You knew that. This was your plan.” Theo smirked, but Liam looked panicked. “Do you have any idea how bad it's going to be when we have to see each other in the hallway everyday at school?”

Theo looked offended. “Give me more credit than that. He won't be going to Beacon. His address puts him at Hill Valley.” Liam relaxed again and smiled.

“Look who I found wandering the halls,” Jenna said from the door, as she led Mason and Scott into the room. 

Liam gave a small wave, careful to only move his arm. “How'd the second half go?”

Scott smiled. He gave no sign of surprise that Liam's first thought was for the out come of the game. “They were demoralized by seeing Brett getting tossed from campus and finding out he's a raging homophobe. We rallied, final score fifteen to ten.”

“How are you feeling?” Mason asked his voice heavy with concern. 

“Nauseous, tired, dizzy, everytime Theo makes me laugh the room spins and it feels like something is trying to bust through my skull in the inside,” Liam grumbled. 

“So great then?” Theo asked. 

Liam laughed, then had to close his eyes against the dizziness. When he was able to open his eyes he said “I must of set a record, only guy in the world to be benched for the season by two different teams in the same year.”

“You’ll be able to play next year,” Scott assured the younger boy, “just focus on healing and we can practice in the off season.” Liam gave a small smile at the offer.

“I talked to your doctor,” Jenna said catching everyone's attention. “He said you were safe to sleep, but the nurses are going to wake you up often. If all goes well you can come home tomorrow afternoon.”

The boys said good night. Scott bumping fists with Liam. Mason grabbed his hand and told him to rest. Theo, who hadn't let go of his other hand the entire visit placed a gentle kiss on his knuckles, then one on his cheek. “Call me if you want to talk. Don't worry about waking me.”

Liam only managed a small “okay,” before he closed his eyes. He was asleep before the boys made it to the hall.


	9. Boys Just Wanna Have Fun

It had been almost six weeks since he'd antagonized Brett into hitting him. The restraining order was in place, and they had peace. Liam was healing. They had watched Beacon Hills lacrosse team win the district championship, but lose in the playoffs for state. Liam swore they would have won if he had been able to play.

Theo leaned against the front of his truck. He scrolled through his phone, waiting for Liam, and completely ignoring the girl that nervously stared at him. He could be nice, say something, end her suffering. His lip came up in the hint of a smirk. No. Let the bitch suffer. She spent months torturing Liam because she was stupid enough to walk into a fist fight. She could endure some social anxiety.

Hayden took a deep breath, straightened her back and walked up to Theo. “I just want you to know I'm leaving Liam alone. I have been since he got hurt,” she said quickly.

“By got hurt, do you mean when your boyfriend, hit him hard enough to literally bruise his brain?” Theo asked without looking up.

She fidgeted with the zipper on her hoodie. “Yeah, except he isn't my boyfriend anymore. I broke up with him. I wouldn't date a homophobe.” 

Theo looked up, eyes narrow. “So, you're okay with harassing people because they are mentally ill, but not because they are gay.” Her face flushed red and she tried to stammer something. He cut her off. “Why are you even talking to me?”

“I met your sister that night. She told me you set Brett up and would probably do something like that to me if I didn't back off.” Her eyes focused on her own shoes. 

Theo rolled his eyes and gave a dismissive snort. “Your ass is covered.” He turned his attention back to his phone. She stood there still staring at him. “Why are you still here? Be gone.” 

It didn't take long for Liam to arrive. Theo wrapped his arms around his boyfriend, and they shared a gentle kiss. He eyed the younger boy's backpack. “They lifted the no homework restriction?”

Liam nodded. “Yeah, just in time for Friday.” They climbed in the cab. “I was hoping to have one healthy, homework free weekend with you before my teachers decided to make up for lost time.”

“We can still do something to celebrate your recovery.” Theo tossed him a smile. “What you want to do? Name it, and I'll make it happen.”

“Seriously?” Liam asked eyes wide, “anything?”

“You doubt my ability to pull off something amazing out of nowhere?” 

“I’m still mad we had to sit out the Spring Formal. I wanted to dance with you, still do.”

“Dance? That's it?” Theo gave a small chuckle. “I thought you were going to ask for something hard.”

“It's not hard. It's impossible. Sinema only has one underage night a month and that was last weekend, besides you have to be sixteen, so I couldn't get in even if it was this week.”

“That's only if you go through the front door. I can get us in the back, no IDs needed. We can't drink, though. I wouldn't anyway.” He tapped the steering wheel. “Not when I'm driving, or when Tara might need extra blood.”

Liam sat up straighter. “I can't drink, anyway… my medication. Can you really get us in?”

Theo pulled into Liam's driveway. He sent a text and got a reply seconds later. After reading the screen he showed the younger boy.

Theo: Sinema tomorrow?  
Josh: Yasss!

Liam grinned.

\----

Sneaking into a bar seemed a lot easier than Liam had guessed it to be. He really had no idea what he'd expected, but this wasn't it. Josh went in through the main entrance with his cousin's ID. They looked enough alike that this wasn't a stretch. Once inside he would come open the back door for him and Theo. That was it. 

That was when the legality of what they were doing occurred to him. This wasn't the clubs rules they were breaking. It was the law. He was still on probation. If they got caught it would break the deal he made after smashing up that car. He grabbed Theo's arm. The older boy turned, his grin falling to concern when he saw the look of near panic on his boyfriend's face, but Liam couldn't seem to make the words come. “Second thoughts?” There was no judgement in the question. Liam nodded. “We don't have to go in,” Theo offered sincerely.

“Have you guys done this before? Gone in?” Liam shuffled back from the door a step.

“A couple of times,” Theo answered, “and it isn't hard to minimize risk of being caught. Stick to water, they have big self serve coolers, so you don't have to order it, avoid the bouncer, and when you're ready to go make your way to this door.” The back door opened. “It’s your call, Liam. We can still go to the arcade down the street.

Josh made groaning sound. “In or out? The longer I hold this door open the more likely we get caught.”

Liam nodded. “In.”

\---

Music thrummed making the air vibrate. Colored strobe lights flashed green to blue to purple blinking through the rainbow. Liam leaned back against Theo's chest, enjoying the feel of his boyfriend's hands on his hips, his breath on his neck. He turned around, sliding his hands under Theo's shirt, enjoying the feel of his soft skin. Their lips found each other. Still moving with the music their kiss deepened. 

All too soon the song ended and Theo pulled away. “Water?” he asked, just barely heard over the music. Liam could only nod. They made their way to one of the water stations in the room. It was just small table against a wall with a big cooler and a stack of papers cups. They each drained two cups before Theo made an annoyed face and checked his phone. He sent a text and leaned into say, “Josh needs help at the bar. Some creeper isn't taking no for an answer.” He kissed Liam's cheek. “I'll be right back.”

“I'll wait here.” Liam refilled his cup. It didn’t take long for Theo to get back, pulling the smaller by into a hug.

“You boys, know under age night was last week, right?” asked a stern, deep, but feminine voice. The boys turned to see a tall drag queen with straight black hair. Her white eyebrows stood stark contrast to her rich brown skin, and lime green dress.

Liam froze. They were caught. They were going to get arrested and his parents would never trust him again. “Was it?” Theo asked calmly, but loud enough to be heard over the music, “last week he was still recovering from a concussion.” He pointed at Liam. “We're celebrating!”

“Concussion?” asked another drag queen. She had big, curly hair and a bright pink strapless dress.

Theo pulled Liam close. “Yeah, his homophobic stalker cracked his skull. I got off lucky with a fat lip. We wanted to celebrate some place we didn't have to worry about that kind of trouble.” He held up his water cup. 

The one in green took the cup and took a sip. She smiled. “We won't say anything, just stay with water,” she studied his face, “and give us a dance.” The lady in pink nodded. Theo flashed his most charming smile and took the offered hand. “I'm Clarice,” she introduced. Liam took the other lady's hand.

Dancing with a drag queen was an interesting experience for Liam. She insisted he call her Ms. Valentine, because, as she put it, he was younger than her vintage fuchsia formal gown. She danced like she looked, over the top. Her movements were large, and when she started singing along Liam couldn't help but to smile. From the way her friend and Theo were laughing he guessed he was missing the joke, but it was still fun. The song ended and the ladies planted big lipstick kisses on their cheeks before strutting off.

“What am I missing? That was fun, but you three knew something I didn't,” Liam accused once they were in the quieter bathroom.

“Did you notice what song we were dancing to?” Theo asked, wetting a paper towel, and scrubbing his face.

“Just the ‘lo lo lo lo lola’ part.” he frowned.

“The song is about a younger guy dancing and falling in love with a drag queen,” Theo said smirking. They laughed together.

Theo's phone kept going off. He rolled his eyes. “Josh is still having trouble with that guy.” 

Liam wrapped his arms around Theo's stomach, and kissed him. “Maybe we should go. The ladies agreed not to tell, but staying feels like pressing our luck.” 

Theo nodded, and sent another text. “Looks like I'm going to have to go get him. You head out, and we'll meet you outside.” 

They shared another kiss before going separate directions. Theo made his way to the bar, and Liam turned down the hall to the back door they'd used to come in. He turned the corner and froze. A man in a black security shirt blocked the door. The teen backed slowly to the main room, and looked to the bar. Theo and Josh were being led away by another guy in a security shirt. He made for the water station. Liam fought back the panic. His friends got caught. The back door was blocked. They knew he was here and they were looking for him. He took several deep breaths and a sip of water. 

“We can't keep meeting like this, honey. People will talk.” He turned to see the drag queen in the bright green. 

“Clarice! I need help.” He couldn't keep the panic out of his voice. “My boyfriend, his friend, they got caught. The door is blocked. I can't get out.” 

“Take a breath.” Her voice was deep and soothing. She looked an arm through his and waved for Ms. Valentine to come along. They walked to the back towards the back door. “No good.” They ushered him around. The two queens led him to the coat check, after claiming two large purses, a shall and a giant faux fur coat they piled it all high in Liam's arms and led him to the main exit, all the while talking loudly about how to best dress the boy in drag, what kind of wig, dress, make up he should have. He felt his eyes grow wide as they talked, leading him closer and closer to the door and the bouncer there.

“Ease the poor kid into it, ladies, or you'll scare him off,” the bouncer said with a laugh. “His eyes are so big right now he looks fifteen.” They just laughed and pulled Liam out the door with them.

Cool air hit him like ice water. He was out. The ladies kept pulling him half down the block before taking their stuff. “Want us to call you a cab, baby?” 

He shook his head. “I'll call a friend to pick me up. We told our parents we were the arcade. He can get me from there.” They walked with him before calling their own ride.

\----

Liam got in the passenger seat of Stiles's Jeep, slamming the door before buckling the seatbelt. He mumbled, “thanks,” and slumped in the seat, leaning on his arm against the window. The car didn't move. He waited. 

“What did you guys fight about?” Scott asked.

“We didn't,” was all Liam said. They watched as a sheriff's department car drive by. Theo and Josh were in the back.

“Tell me,” Scott said. His tone was gentle, but it was still an order. “I won't say anything unless keeping quiet would hurt someone.” 

Liam told him everything. Scott listened without interruption. When the younger boy had finished he let out a heavy sigh. "You're very lucky you aren't with those two.” He watched as Liam looked away, and chewed his bottom lip. “But after I drop you off, I'll take my dad some dinner, and see if I can get any information. I'll text you."


	10. One Step Forward Two Steps Back

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The first part is kinda gross. 
> 
> There are two parts where a mom is awful to Theo. I did my best to keep it to a minimum.

Josh puked in the back of the police car. Theo counted himself lucky that his friend was aimed at his own feet and not the seat between them. He just leaned forward, opened his mouth and what seemed like a gallon of liquid was falling out, splashing on the floor boards. The deputy driving made a disgusted sound, yelled something about his shoes. 

Josh blinked a few times and looked up at Theo. “What happened?”

“You got way too drunk, asked me to pick you up, and forgot you used your cousin's ID. You asked why I was calling you Dante, then you told the bartender we were sixteen, and asked him not to tell anyone because it was a big secret?”

“Fuck,” Josh swore. He seemed to just notice they were in the back of a police car. “We're completely fucked.”

“You're completely fucked, Josh. I wasn't drinking.” He looked a pointedly at the back of the deputies heads, but kept his tone the same. He hoped Josh understood. “I was just picking you up, like you asked.”

Josh nodded. That was apparently a bad idea as he immediately got sick again. 

\---

Theo sat in Sheriff Stilinski's office. His dad and his lawyer sat next to him. “Just tell the Sheriff what you told us,” Mr. Whittemore said.

Theo looked at his dad. The man nodded. “I took my boyfriend to the arcade. Josh asked for a ride. I knew he was going to sneak into Sinema, but I didn't try to stop him.” Theo made his cheeks red and look down. “Josh started texting me about a guy that wouldn't leave him alone. I told him I would pick him up, he didn't come outside, then he stopped responding. I…” He let his voice shake ever so slightly. “I panicked. I was afraid he was being raped in the bathroom or something, so when I saw someone leave through the back door I slipped in. I was just going to get him and get out. That's all. I had no intention of drinking.”

The sheriff looked over the text conversation, again:

Josh: this old guy totally wants my ass  
Theo: tell him to back off  
Josh: I did!   
Josh: Hes not 2 bad bought me a drink  
Josh: told him 1 dance   
Josh: he bad  
Josh: wouldn't stop groping me  
Josh: help  
Theo: OMW get away from him  
Twenty minutes pass  
Josh: hes following me  
Theo: get outside  
Theo: where are you?  
Theo: Josh outside now  
Theo: answer me  
Theo: is he still after you?

He handing the phone back to the teen. He nodded. “Okay. If the business owner doesn't press charges, then I'll recommend for the DA to drop it as well.”

As they left the office Theo pulled up his phone only to have Jonathan snatch it from his hand with a growl. “I'm sorry. I'm not trying to be disrespectful. When I went to get Josh I left Liam at the arcade. I need to make sure he's ok,” Theo pleaded.

“He's fine,” Scott said walking up with a smile and a fast food bag. “He called me when he saw the deputies drive up to the bar. I took him home.” Theo let his relief show.

Stilinski took the bag when Scott offered it. “And you offered to come snooping,” the sheriff made it a statement. Scott didn't deny it, or even look embarrassed. He just nodded. 

“Thanks,” Theo said with honest gratitude. They bumped knuckles. Jonathan gave Scott a nod then led his son out to the car. They made quick professional goodbyes with Mr Whittemore, and got in the car. 

Father and son sat in silence for a moment before Jonathan asked simply, “do you know where you went wrong?”

“I should have talked Josh out of going to a bar.” 

“You could have tried, but Josh made his own choices. Those are on him, not you. What was your mistake?”

“Going in after him. I should have called you. You would have gone in and got him, and he would be in trouble with his parents, but not in a holding cell.”

His dad gave him a pat on the shoulder. “Your heart was in the right place, and that counts more than a little.” Theo nodded, happy his dad, and everyone believed him. He hoped Josh remembered their plan to use this story if they ever got caught.

“Does that mean I won't be grounded?” he asked hopefully.

Jonathan laughed a deep rich sound. “Oh no, you're definitely grounded.”

\---

“Theodore Lindsey Raeken, I have never been so disappointed in all my life,” a shrill voice chastised as soon as he walked into the house. “How can you be so self-centered?”

“Nancy,” Jonathan intervened, “The only thing Theo did wrong was be too good of a friend. He and I have already talked. He knows what he did wrong and how to do better if he gets into a similar situation in the future.”

“He better not get into similar situation in the future. Arrested! Drinking!” She glared at her son, and held out her hand. “Keys. Now.” 

He considered telling her he hadn't been drinking or arrested, but what was the point? She would only punish him more for arguing. “Neither of those things happened.” Theo jumped at the sound of his dad's voice. “Go to your room, son. Your mother and I need to talk,” he said but still nodded at her open hand.

Theo gave his mom the keys to his truck. His stomach tightened as his world shrank to the size of the house. He said nothing, walked up stairs and closed himself into his bedroom. 

Liam answered the call almost immediately. “Was Scott right when he said you weren't arrested? Are you okay? How much trouble are you in? Did you stick to the story? What exactly did you tell them?”

Theo smiled. He really had the sweetest boyfriend. When the other boy finally took a breath he answered, “yes. Yes. They took my truck. Yes. The truth. My friend got drunk and in over his head and I was just trying to make sure he got home safe.”

“I stuck to the story, too, except for Scott. I told him everything,” Liam said.

“Good. Scott's a good friend. What happened after I left?” He listened, sitting back on his bed. After they covered the events of the night they moved on to other topics. Just talking to Liam, hearing his voice made him feel less isolated. They kept talking until Theo heard a knock at the door. “I have to go. It's probably my dad telling me how long I'm on house arrest.” They both said goodbye and hung up.

He opened the door to find Tara. Her arms were crossed over her chest and scowling at him. “Why are mom and dad fighting?” She demanded. When Theo laughed she continued. “Seriously, I've been at Erica's, helping her through a prescan freakout. I come home and Mom looks like she is out for blood. What the hell are they fighting about?”

“My bet is she wants me skinned alive and he pushing for just grounded.”

She barged into his room closing the door behind her. “Okay, tell me everything, and not the cleaned up version you gave them.” He told her the truth. She listened without criticizing or interrupting. When he was done, including telling her the parts he had heard from Liam, she smiled. “Now I need to see Liam in drag.” He smiled. “I want to see him in the full Marilyn Monroe look, beauty mark, long blond wig and white halter dress.”

\----

His mom wanted him to be grounded a month, at least. His dad had been pushing for two weeks, because he'd only been in there to help his friend, and it wasn't like Theo had been drinking or partying. They compromised at three weeks and neither were very happy with it. He counted himself lucky that they only took his keys. It really wasn't all that different than when Tara was first out of remission, except that she was spending most of her time with Erica and Boyd, instead of recovering from chemo. 

Theo spent the next few weeks talking, texting or playing video games online with Liam, Tracey, Corey and Mason, but mostly Liam. Josh sent one message to him and Tracey. “I'm off to rehab,” was all it said. They both sent back messages of support and encouragement.

It was Wednesday of the last week when Theo looked up from homework and saw it was already five, and Liam hadn't texted or called. He grabbed his phone, and sent a flirty text asking if everything was okay. His phone rang immediately. “What's wrong?”

“That fucking dumb motherfucker, he takes off for eleven years after breaking my mom's arm, then just shows up and expects me to be happy about it, and spend my Friday night with him and his skeezy, trailer park girlfriend,” Liam said in a rush before growling in frustration. Theo heard the thud of a fist hitting drywall.

Theo's mind worked trying to make sense of what Liam had just said. “Wait, what?”

“My sperm donor of a father showed up today,” Liam said, his post rage depression already setting in. “He said he wanted a relationship with me, and if I didn't go have dinner with him he'll tell his lawyer Mom was keeping me from him out of spite.”

“He still can't force you, and even if he tells his lawyer that, your mom can tell the truth before anything comes of it,” Theo tried to reassure.

“That's what my mom said. I… I just think, after all I put her and my real dad through, I owe it to them to make things easier. I don't know. That probably doesn't make any sense.”

“No, I get it. Can they go with you?”

“My dad is on shift at the hospital, and I think having my mom there would make it worse. I asked Mason to come, but he's leaving to visit his grandparents that night.”

“I'm not ungrounded until Saturday, but I could ask to be let off early. I've been a model prisoner, so there's a chance,” Theo offered.

“Oh my god, Theo, you are the best boyfriend ever, just for asking. Thank you.” Liam already sounded relieved. They said a quick goodbye and hung up.

Nancy Raeken was in the kitchen mixing up some kind of vegan sludge Theo knew he would be forced to eat for dinner. “Hey Mom, that smells great. What are you making?” He hoped the lie and feigned interest would put her in a more receptive mood.

“Thank you. It's mac and faux cheese made with blended cauliflower, carrot and neutional yeast.”

He took a deep breath, and explained about Liam's situation. “I know I'm not supposed to be ungrounded until Saturday, but given the circumstance may I please go to dinner with Liam and his father?”

Her shoulders tensed as she looked at her son. “Clean your room, spotless, including sanitizing that weight set of yours, get ahead in all your classes, vacuum the entire downstairs, and the upstairs hallway. Do all that and you can go.”

“Thank you, Mom. I'll get started now.” He kissed her cheek, ran back upstairs, sent Liam a text that his mom had been surprisingly cooperative and got to work. 

For the next two days Theo worked nearly all his waking hours. If he wasn't cleaning he was studying. By the time Friday evening rolled around he was as far ahead as he could get and had completed every other task. 

He knocked on the door to his mom's home office. After she invited him in he told her what he'd gotten done. She didn't look up from her laptop. “Good, you can go. Be home by ten.”

“Can I have my keys?”

She laughed. “Not until tomorrow, when you're ungrounded.”

“But you said I could go,” Theo insisted.

“I did, and you can. We agreed that you would be allowed to have dinner with your boyfriend and his father tonight. There was no mention of you getting your truck back early.”

Theo took a deep breath and forced himself to let it out slowly. “Would you please give me a ride to the restaurant?”

“No. I have work to do.” She still hadn't looked up from her screen. 

He schooled his tone, knowing he could easily get himself into a lot more trouble. “Please, Mom, it will only take twenty minutes, and I can find a different ride home.”

“No.” 

“This is so unfair.” He felt stupid for not seeing this trap coming. He knew she had agreed too easily.

“Unfair?” Her voice sent an icy chill down his spine. “You go out drinking, get picked up by the police and I'm being unfair by enforcing the unbelievably light punishment your dad insisted on. You entitled son of a bitch.”

“Yeah, son of a bitch is right.” The words had fallen out of his mouth before he could stop them.

She slammed her computer shut. “You're not going anywhere tonight, or for the next month, and I'll be taking your phone.” 

Theo tossed his phone on her desk. He'd always thought when he hit his breaking point with her he would explode, like Liam does, but he just couldn't seem to find the energy. He didn't seem to feel much of anything. “Of course, and I'll just go back to being a bag of spare parts for my dying sister. Can you just ignore me until Tara needs a kidney or something? I'll do my best to stay out of your way.”

“Oh, now you're the victim, are you?” She started yelling about what a terrible, and selfish kid he was. 

He couldn't seem to make himself listen or even care. He left the room while she continued to yell. After trudging back to his room Theo flopped onto his bed. He opened his chat with Liam, “It was a trap. She was never going to let me go.” The dots showing Liam was typing a reply showed up, but he didn't get to see what he said. The computer closed and was pulled from his lap.

“You're caught up in school, so you won't be needing this. I think I'll take your video games as well, just until you learn some respect.” She stared at him, waiting for a reply.

He said nothing. 

\---

Theo laid on his bed, staring at the ceiling. He could get up and work out, but he was dressed for dinner and didn't feel like changing. There were a number of books on his shelf he could read, or his markers were still on his desk, but he just couldn't seem to find the motivation to move. 

A car door slammed shut. Tara was home. Theo jumped up and ran downstairs faster than he could ever remember doing before. “Can I use your phone?”

“What's wrong with yours?”

“I went from grounded to super grounded and I need to tell Liam why I stood him up tonight.” She gave him a disapproving look, but passed him her phone. He stepped out onto the porch, closing the door behind him.

Liam answered quickly, “Tara?” He asked.

“No, I borrowed her phone as soon as she got home.” 

“You never answered me,” he grumbled.

“When she sprang the trap I lost my temper, so she took away anything I could have used to contact you, including my Xbox.”

“Wait, you lost your temper?” Liam said in disbelief. “You're always so calm and the one time I need you you flip out on the crazy bitch and get everything taken away.”

“I worked my ass off to try to get to you tonight, and you make it sound like I planned for her to go all psycho on me.”

“You plan everything, else.”

The anger he'd been expecting earlier finally showed itself. “And you're the expert on tempers, right Liam? Smash up any cars recently?”

“Fuck you, Theo.”

He scoffed. “Not likely,” he said and hung up. Hot tears fell down his cheeks. He let them.


	11. 3 am

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Posting early because I'm ahead in my writing schedule. Chapter 12 to be posted next week!

“You're an idiot,” Mason said. He and Liam sat on the floor of Liam's room playing video games, and for once Mason was winning. “Let me see if I understand the true depths of your idiocy. You not only agreed to go to dinner with your absentee sperm donor and his girlfriend, but insisted your mom not come along.” Liam glared at his best friend. “Is Ja'nay-Marie as much of a redneck as I'm guessing based on her name?”

“Worse. She has a mullet, and wore a confederate flag t-shirt,” Liam answered, before dying again.

Mason started another round and kept going. “You counted on Theo being able to get away from his psycho mom and provide backup. You didn't ask Scott or anyone else to come if Theo couldn't. Then, and this is my favorite part, when the guy your mom divorced for being an abusive jerk said something bad about David you lost your shit, stormed out and cracked the back window and tail light on his crappy eighties muscle car.”

“He didn't just say something bad. He said something racist, then said he needed to get me away from him and mom before they turned me into 'PC, liberal sissy.’”

Mason laughed again. “But you still weren't done being stupid, were you? When your boyfriend calls to check in on you, to make sure you were okay, you pick a fight with him. You accuse him of getting grounded on purpose, and you completely lose your shit on him when he calls you on your very real habit of automotive destruction.”

“Are you done exploiting my bad choices, just so you can win at Smash Brothers?”

“Are you ready to apologise to Theo?” Mason smiled.

\----

Theo rolled over. He couldn't get comfortable, and even when he found a comfortable spot it didn't stay that way for long. The pillow was too warm. He flipped it over, but that didn't help. It hadn't had enough time to cool off from the last time he flipped it over. The clock on the nightstand said 2:30 am. Giving up on sleep, he picked up his sketch pad, and flipped to a fresh page. The drawing took up nearly the full page when he heard a quiet knock. “Come in,” he said without looking up.

“I couldn't sleep.” Tara came in, closed the door behind her. She held out mug. “Saw your light on so I figured you might want tea.” 

“No thanks, I don't like your grassy feet tea.”

“It's chamomile, dumbass. No one drinks caffeinated tea at three whatever in the morning.” She gave him the mug and looked at his drawing, a boy with bright blue eyes, creased brows, mouth set in a frown. “He’s cute when he's mad, but do you really think drawing your ex is a good coping method for your first break up?”

He took a sip. The tea was just cool enough to drink. Tara always made tea extra strong and sweet, sometimes too sweet, but like everything lately the flavor was muted, only a step above plain hot water. They settled on the bed, Tara cross legged on the foot, Theo leaning against the pillows. 

“We aren't broken up, at least not yet. We got in one fight, after each of us had a really bad night. We'll talk, apologize and be fine.”

“I can get my phone if you want to call him,” Tara offered.

Theo shook his head. “It's the middle of the night." Tara stared at him over her mug, unconvinced. "Lately it's felt like, I've made all the plans, taken most of the risks. I need to know he is still willing to come after me. He knows I'm grounded, and I called him from your phone. Just let me know if he texts you or calls to talk to me.” 

“Yeah, I can do that,” she agreed. Theo took a moment to study his sister. Her hair had grown out to a cute pixie cut, she even had eye lashes long enough to wear makeup again. She'd gained weight. As far as he could see, except for a little sleep deprivation she looked healthy. 

“Worried about your test results or Erica?”

“I feel pretty good, physically. I'm not too worried about the results, and I wouldn't say I'm worried about Erica. I'm... processing everything. I understand why she wants to stop treatment. She's looking at she's looking at three to six months of feeling mostly okay, or up to a year of feeling like shit almost all the time.”

“Are you…” he let the question fall.

Her eyes widened a bit. “No! I'm not I'm her situation, though. Thanks to you, I probably never will be. Everytime I have chemo or radiation or any other awful treatment the goal at the end is remission, and after so long in remission I'm cured. For Erica they are just talking about more time feeling like crap, more pain.” 

“What are you guys going to do for with the time she has left?”

Her face lit up. “Roadtrip. Erica wants to see all the great American things like the Grand Canyon, that place where we can be in four states at once, Area 51, and, of course, the world's biggest ball of twine.”

“Don't forget truck stop gator wrestling in Florida.”

“See you get it! Mom wants us to keep it to day trips.”

Theo rolled his eyes. “Don't let her have a say. She'll do anything to keep you home. I honestly think that's why she took everything I can use to talk to Liam. I started doing my own thing, and she couldn't deal with losing control.”

Tara set her empty mug on the floor and pulled Theo into a strong hug. “Have I told you lately how much I love you?” 

Theo rubbed her back. “I never doubt you and Dad.” He was careful to leave the part about Mom unsaid. He leaned long ago that his mom and Tara's might technically be the same person, but so were Jekyll and Hyde.

“I'm serious. Having you for a brother is worth being sick. I mean, ideally that first stem cell transplant would have cured me and we could have both grown up healthy. Then you never would have been put through pain because of me.”

“I don't mind the pain,” Theo said quietly. “I just want you to be okay.”

She pulled away, eyes filled with unshed tears. “Finish your tea, and try to sleep.” They said goodnight, and Tara went to bed. 

Theo drained the mug, but instead of laying back down, he stood, threw his his t-shirt into the hamper and went to his weight bench. 

\---

Liam laid in bed staring at at the ceiling. He couldn't seem to stop replaying his last conversation with Theo through his head. Why did he have to be such an idiot? He picked up his phone. 

Liam: I know you're still grounded   
Liam: you would have replied to me if you had gotten your phone back   
Liam: right?  
Liam: I'm sorry.  
Liam: I know I look pathetic with all these texts.   
Liam: Mason said not to worry about it.   
Liam: He said you'd get it  
Liam: That you'd think it was cute  
Liam: I think he's right  
Liam: I miss you

Mason had told him he needed to show Theo that he cared. Calling Tara to get Theo felt too awkward. What if he called when their mom was around? Tara could get into trouble. He thought about texting and asking her to have Theo call him when it was safe, but still felt like too big of a risk, so he sent texts to the phone that was probably powered off. He sent a lot of texts, thirty a day on average.

\---

A drop of sweat rolled down Theo's back, over his shoulder and plopped on the floor. His feet were propped up on his weight bench. He pushed himself back up so his arms were straight and his shoulders level with his feet, then one at a time he brought a knee up to his chest, then placed his foot back on the bench before lowering his face back to almost touching the floor and doing it all again. He had no sense of time, only movement, breathing, maintaining the rhythm. 

He was startled out of his trance when the door opened. “Theo? You okay?” his dad asked from the hall. He hadn't yet poked his head in.

“Yeah, I'm fine,” he said out of breath, standing up.

His dad gave him an appraising stare and frowned. “I knocked, but I don't think you heard me. How long have you been at this?”

“I don't know, couldn't sleep, got tired of drawing.”

Jonathan nodded. “Want to tell me what happened with your mother?”

He dried his face with a towel as he considered his words. Dad wasn't as blind to Mom's crap as Tara was, but he still couldn't just say it all without sounding like a spoiled brat. He gave a very condensed version of everything leading up to the fight with his mom. “She said my truck wasn't part of the deal, so I asked her to drop me off and we got in a fight.”

“She said you called her a bitch.”

Theo gave a bitter snort of a laugh. Of course she told Dad that. He had almost no tolerance for disrespect, and that was about as bad as it could get. “No, I simply agreed when she called me a son of one.”

Dad took a few deep breaths and pinched the bridge of his nose. “All this for a miscommunication. Don't roll your eyes. That's what this was. Neither of you made your expectations clear and you both lost your tempers. I swear you two are just too much alike to get along.” Theo started to protest, but his dad silenced him with a look. “Where do you think you got your talent for observation and manipulation? I know you antagonized a confrontation with that Talbot kid to get the adults involved, and yes you defended your boyfriend and got a troubled young man some help, but did you stop to consider that you also likely cost a foster kid his only chance at college? There are two sides to everything, Theo. You need to try seeing your mother's once in a while.”

“I've tried. It won't help until she does the same, and she won't.”

“What are you going to do when Tara's on her road trip and I'm off in another state for work?”

“I'll be in my room, making no noise and pretending I don't exist.” Dad glared at him. Theo was done. Dad wouldn't believe anymore than Tara would. “I'll do my best not to fight with her.”

“Thank you. That's all I ask, just treat each other with respect.”

Theo remembered reading somewhere how that phrase could mean treating someone like an authority figure or treating someone like a human being. Funny how he was expected to treat her as an authority but she didn't treat him like a human being. “I hope you're talking to her. Please let her know I have finals to take and will need my laptop back.” Dad nodded. Theo grabbed a clean pair of sweats. “I'm going to shower.”

“Thank you for being reasonable.”

It was Theo's turn to nod. He waited for his dad to turn his back before he rolled his eyes.

\---

Tara sat on the exam table, not because they were doing any kind of exam, but the table was high up and her feet dangled freely. If growing up with near constant illness had taught her anything it was to always enjoy the simple pleasures, where and when you found them. She was still swinging her feet when the door opened.

“That's how I can always tell when you feel good,” Dr. Geyer said, nodding at her feet. Her smile beamed at him. “I’ll get straight to the point, I've looked over your test results, blood, scans, everything all says the same thing: complete remission.”

Tara hopped off the table and did a little dance, a grin splitting her face. “Am I safe to travel?”

“There is no medical reason you can't go with Ms. Reyes and Mr. Boyd on their cross country adventure. While you're eating your greasy diner food on route 66 remember to pay attention to how you feel. If at any time you feel like you could be getting sick again, or you just feel off, come back, let us check out out.”

“I know. It's better to catch a resurgence early than to sit in denial and drown.”

The doctor groaned. “Bad puns aside, you're right. Do you have any other questions for me?”

She took a deep breath. “Not about my treatment.” He raised an eyebrow. “Is Liam as miserable with the break up as Theo is?”

“I wasn't aware it was a break up. Liam said they got in a fight, and Theo was grounded so they couldn't talk it out yet. He said the fight was his fault, and was working on an apology would be completely extra.” The last part said like he wasn't sure he knew what it meant.

“Good,” Tara said with a giggle, “Theo will appreciate that. He's been really depressed. I was getting worried.”

“He's probably also depressed about being left alone with your mother while you and your dad are gone.”

“They're just going to have to learn to get along.”

“In my experience people in abusive relationships never just learn to get along. Something has to change, usually from outside interference.”

“My mom isn't abusive. She yells once in a while, sometimes more than necessary, but it's not like she's calling him names or humiliating him.” Anger crept into her voice.

He studied her for a moment, considered his words carefully. “You're eighteen, an adult, you deserve the chance to make your own choice from all the information available. One moment.” He left the room.

Melissa followed Dr. Geyer back into the room. “This is hard to watch, but Dr. Geyer says you need to see it.” She handed Tara her phone a video already queued up.

Tara watched as her mom yelled at, insulted, and belittled her little brother. The same little brother she could see crying. Hot tears made her mascara run. Her hand shook with anger. She swallowed hard forcing her lunch to stay in her stomach. She want to yell, to scream. 

Questions kept running through her mind, answers came just as fast. Why hadn't Theo said anything? He had. How many time had he said she didn't treat him like a real person, or called her a control freak? Why hadn't they reported it? They had, but emotional abuse is low priority. Why didn't they tell her? She wouldn't have believed them. They could have showed her the video, but she was still recovering, and stress can have disastrous effects on a healing immune system. Why hadn't she believed him? Because I'm an idiot, and a terrible sister. I have to do better. 

“Will you send this to me?” Her voice sounded far away. She was still dazed as she walked to her car. Sitting behind the wheel, she cried big wracking sobs until she was sure she had let it out, only then did she send a text.

Dad I have something to show you. It's important

\---

Jonathan Raeken listened carefully to the teenage girl on the phone. Her every word made him seethe with anger. For the first time in his life he could understand the kind of anger that could make a person kill someone they loved. "Thank you, Allison. I really appreciate you telling me what you saw that day. I've already gotten Theo's and his mother's sides. I just wanted to hear from someone not directly involved." He was surprised his voice stayed even.

This was so much worse than anything he thought his wife was capable of. He took the bottle of aspirin from his desk drawer, and dry swallowed a couple. His questions about why or how would have to wait. Two years ago he'd told her what would happen if she abused their son again. 

"Danny," he called to his assistant, "who is the top lawyer in the firm for handling divorce?"


	12. Changes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Incoming fluff! 
> 
> Thank you so much for sticking with me on this angsty, emotional sometimes fluffy ride. I hope you enjoy the ending.

Today was the beginning of the end. Tara left this morning. Her, Boyd and Erica piled into Erica's dad's convertible with a few duffle bags, and set out. Their first stop was a cheese factory in Oregon, then an independent bookstore that took up an entire city block, after that was a spot in Washington where cars roll up hill on their own. Tara had hugged him tight with tears in her eyes, and whispered, “I have to go, but I'm sorry I'm leaving you. I'm sorry for a lot of things.” He hadn't even had a chance to respond she just kissed his cheek and climbed in the car. Then they were gone. 

As he turned to go back inside ready for a nap Dad stopped him. “Let's go get some lunch. We haven't spent much one on one time lately.” Theo had only nodded.

“He's still grounded,” Mom pointed out, her voice hard with anger. Of course he was still grounded. She refused to give any of his stuff back. He'd had to use her tablet to take his finals. She said she didn't wanted him distracted by his friends, but two days later he still didn't have his computer.

“He's not grounded from spending time with his dad, Nancy.” He sounded angry. It was subtle, but there was a definite edge to his voice. Theo wondered if he had done something?

He slumped in the passenger seat of his dad's BMW. Dad quietly sang along with the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, as he drove. A nap sounded good, better than food. He didn't have much if an appetite, and had managed more than a couple hours of sleep at a time. The car stopped. “I've heard these guys have the best burgers in town,” Dad said excitedly, all traces of the anger gone. It was replaced with something else. Regret? Excitement? Theo couldn't be sure.

He noticed the logo and his chest tightened. This was the same place Liam had brought the burgers from on their first date. “Not exactly something Mom would approve of.”

“Good thing she isn't here, then.” Jonathan gave his son a small smile. “Bacon cheeseburger?”

“Onion rings.”

Dad got the food while Theo claimed a table. Before long they sat across from each other with trays of food and cups of soda. Jonathan dove in taking a bite of the burger, but Theo just picked at an onion ring. 

“You're not hungry?” Theo shrugged. His dad gave a sigh. “I brought you out, because we need to have a talk away from your mother. There's going to be some pretty big changes in a very short amount of time.” 

Theo froze. He studied his dad. The man looked stressed, worried. Him and Tara had been acting weird all week. Dad had cancelled a business trip. Theo had even seen him sleeping on the couch on his home office. He thought it was just working late and nervousness about Tara's trip, but now he was scared. The law firm had Dad traveling all over the country, what if they wanted him one of those places permanently, and he would be left here with Mom?

“I need to start by saying I'm sorry, Theo. I've been a lousy father-”

“No you haven't!” He couldn't be thinking Mom was the better parent.

Jonathan just gave him a sad smile. “I really have. If I hadn't been away so much, or if I had listened to you when you first told me what she was like…” his words trailed off for a moment. “Anyway, what's important is now. What is important is I believe you, and I'm going to do everything I can to protect you. I'll be here so I can be the dad you deserve, including no longer travelling for work.”

“What?” This was going too fast. He believes me? Protect me from what?

“Right about now your mother is being served with divorce papers, including where I am demanding full custody of you.” He gave that moment to sink in before he went on. “I have a video of her being verbally and emotionally abusive to you, and if she tries to fight any part of the very fair settlement I suggested, I'll see to it her boss sees it, and I'll make a stink about pressing charges.”

“But you love her. You said you've loved Mom since you were in college. How can you just leave her?”

“I do love her, but after seeing the way she's been treating you I don't like her, and you're more important. Let me make something perfectly clear. This. Is. Not. Your. Fault. The blame falls on her, and on me for not seeing it sooner."

His parents were getting divorced. He was going to live with his dad. He wouldn't have to see his mom anymore. He took a bite of the onion ring. Liam was right. These were amazing. He took a bite of the burger. It was even better than the last time he'd had one. Dad started talking about the condo he was looking at for them to move into. They could go look at it after lunch.

\----

The new condo was three bedrooms, a dedicated office, a kitchen big enough for the two guys to cook in together, a comfortable living room and a balcony with a view of the ocean. Theo loved every inch of it. His room was a little smaller than his old one, but with a full gym in the building he wouldn't need his weight set. He also had his own bathroom. Tara even had a room waiting for her when she got back. 

The entire weekend was full of the chaos of moving, and catching up on sleep. Before Theo knew what was happening it was Sunday night and he found his laptop. His heart sank when he saw the only message from Liam had been sent before their fight. He still hadn't found his phone, though, so he still had hope that Liam had made an effort to contact him. He was about to close it and go to sleep when Tracy messaged him.

Tracy: OMG you live!!!!  
Theo: Bitch, you have no idea

He filled her in on everything since the fight with his mom. 

Theo: and get this, I start at BHHS tomorrow  
Tracy: (shock, scream, mind blown emojis)  
Theo: ikr  
Tracy: a least you get to see Liam tomorrow.  
Theo: yeah. I need sleep so I'm not a zombie. I don't want to look like crap the first time I see him since Sinema.  
Tracy: (eye roll) you never look like crap and I kinda hate you for it  
Theo: (cry laughing, heart) good night  
Tracy: goodnight bitch

Theo woke up with plenty of time to get ready. After his shower and breakfast he decided to take one last look for his phone, but all the boxes were empty. Mom probably decided to keep it. One last grasp at control. That was it; he would have to get a new one after school. 

Time to go. He shoved a handful of pens into the front pocket of his backpack. They tapped against something made of plastic. He pulled out his phone with a laugh, and pressed the power button. Dead. He plugged it into the charger he kept in his truck to charge on the way. 

Excitement bubbled through him. Hope and dread warred for dominance. In just a few minutes he would know if Liam had tried to talk to him. 

He powered on the phone, and watched as his wallpaper, a selfie of him and Liam curled together on the Geyer's couch, and his icons loaded. The phone made a long noise. It took a moment for him to realize it was his text notification going over and over. The number over his messages kept going up. His eyes widened as it hit triple digits and kept going. Two hundred and thirty seven was the final count. He opened the app. All of them were from Liam. 

Liam: I was an ass  
Liam: I'm sorry I know I was being stupid  
Liam: I smashed sperm donor's car  
Liam: when you get your phone back please let me know  
Liam: I'm gonna keep texting u whenever I think of you  
Liam: I miss you  
Liam: I really am sorry

The messages kept going like that. One caught his eye.

Liam: I love you  
Liam: I wanted to say that face to face but couldn't wait

Theo wiped the tears from his eyes.

\---

Liam hit his head on the locker. He was going to fail this test, and not because he didn't know the material. It was history. He knew it, had written a couple of A papers on this exact time period, but he couldn't focus. His mind wouldn't let him think about anything school related. All he could think of was green eyes, soft pink lips, that laugh that made his stomach tighten. “What if I did too much, and now he thinks I'm too crazy?” 

Mason started to give reassurance for the millionth time, but was saved by the chime of Liam's phone. The screen showed a new message from Theo. “I can't read it. He's going to dump me, because I'm a nutcase.” 

Mason reached for the phone. “I'll read it out loud, then.”

“No!” Liam opened the text. 

Theo: YOU ASSHOLE!

His heart sank. Before he could close it or figure out how respond more messages came in.

Theo: I'm fucking crying.   
Theo: 237 texts!?!  
Theo: I miss you and I'm sorry too  
Theo: I have a surprise for you (winking kiss emoji)

“He doesn't hate me!” Liam laughed, as he started texting back. “He misses me!”

“That's great,” Mason said with equal relief and excitement. His best friend had been a nervous wreck for a week. It would be nice to have him relax.

Corey leaned against the locker next to Mason's. “I'm supposed to show around a new student. Seen anyone new?” the sophomore asked.

“Who transfers in the last two weeks of school?” Mason asked.

“Someone that's been homeschooled their entire life and never had a full day of structured education.” Theo's voice came from behind Liam. “Also I've technically completed the year, so this is just to get used to everything for next fall.”

The younger boy turned to see his boyfriend standing there. A big smile on his face. Liam let out a small yelp of surprise and threw his arms around Theo's neck. For the first time in nearly a month they touched. Theo slid his hands around Liam's waist. Their lips met, and both boys savored the feel of the other, but only for a moment. Theo pulled out of the kiss, but neither let go. “I love you, too, and I would kiss you more, but seems bad form to get caught making out in the hall on my first day.”

Liam laughed. “How? I mean, here, how?” was all he could manage to say.

“The short answer is my parents are divorcing and my dad gets full custody.” Theo gave him that killer grin that made his stomach tighten. “Now what happened with the bio dad? How did you go from dinner to smashing a car?”

Liam turned red with shame. “He said some awful racist crap about my Real dad, and threw out some casual homophobia. I lost it, came out and threw a brick, or three at his car. I haven't talked to him since. Mom said he left town again.”

“If I had been there we could have made out on his hood.” Mason and Corey joined in the laughter, and they walked off to their classes.

\---

Theo couldn't help but think how cute Liam was when he slept. His mouth was slightly open, his hair stuck up in all directions and his arm was laying across Theo's chest. He looked like he'd been asleep hours, not just a few minutes. Theo enjoyed the weight of him, and traced little circles on his bare shoulder. 

The trance was broken when Theo's phone made a loud chime. Liam groaned and rolled over. “Tara sent me a selfie of her Erica and Boyd outside something called The Mitchell Corn Palace.” He showed Liam the picture of the three outside a building that looked like someone glued fake towers to the side and a giant green and yellow onion on top.

“Your sister is weird.” 

“Yeah, they all are, but they're having fun,” Theo said smiling. Liam rolled back to his boyfriend, wrapped his arms around his waist, and placed small kisses on his stomach. “Don't start that now. We need to get up, get dressed.”

“Why?” Liam placed a few more kisses moving lower. “Your dad won't be home for hours.”

“Because Josh and his new boyfriend will be here in like fifteen minutes.”

“Ugh, isn't that the boyfriend he met at a fight club?”

Theo laughed. “Josh isn't in a fight club he just calls group therapy that because of the similar rules, and he thinks it sounds cooler.” Liam blinked a few times in clear confusion. “The first rule of Fight Club is you don't talk about fight club. You've never seen it?” The younger boy shook his head. “You will. If for nothing else, to see Brad Pitt when he was fucking hot.”

“Know who else thinks Brad Pitt is hot? My mom.”

They got dressed, continued to tease each other, and were in the living room before the doorbell rang. Theo bounced over to the door and opened it. 

Josh looked good, healthy. Rehab had worked wonders, and for once they figured out that he had been self medicating. Now with therapy and antidepressants he was practically glowing with happiness. The best friends hugged, and Theo saw a familiar guy in the hallway. His stomach fell.

Josh smiled big as he started introductions. “Theo, this is-”

“Brett Talbot.” Theo finished. “We've met.”

Brett shook his head. “I can't be here.” He kissed Josh on the cheek and turned to back towards the elevator.

Liam watched Josh's face fall. He heard Theo explain. Josh looked torn. “Brett, wait,” Liam called out. He offered his hand. “I don't know about you, but I love my boyfriend more than I hate you. Truce?”

The tall boy looked at the offered hand, then over at the boy who had set him up all those months ago. “I can play nice, if you can.” Theo gave a small nod. Josh cheered as they shook hands. 

The afternoon went smoothly. The boys talking about lacrosse, and playing video games. Liam bragged about how good the Beacon Hills team was going to be, especially after Theo made first line. Brett said Hill Valley with their incredibly hot and talented new captain would take state. They didn't fight. 

Brett and Liam ended up alone in the kitchen for a moment. “I really only meant to knock you out of that game, not the season, and I really didn't intend to send you to the hospital.” Liam accepted the apology with a fist bump.

They went back to the living room with fresh sodas for everyone. Brett sat by Josh his arm around the shorter boy’s shoulder. Liam sat in Theo's lap, and pressed their lips together. “I love you,” he whispered into the kiss.

“I love you, too.”


End file.
